The Skeptics’ Guide to Emergency Medicine (SGEM) is a knowledge translation (KT) project. The goal of the SGEM is to shorten the KT window from over ten years down to less than one year. It does this by turning traditional medical education on its head.
Pathman’s Leaky Pipe Model
The top down/didactic method of the 19th century with an older man in a white lab coat sanding in front of a lecture hall delivering in formation to an audience of medical students is over. This was replaced by the small group/problem based learning of the 20th century.
Medical education has entered a new phase in the 21st century that uses social media to disseminate content. The SGEM will use social media to deliver the most valid, reliable, and unbiased global source of currently clinically-relevant patient-centered emergency medicine information.
The SGEM consists of a weekly podcast available for free on iTunes
and a blog. It is also tied into a Facebook
page, active Twitter
feed and YouTube
Much of content is a result of the Best Evidence in Emergency Medicine (BEEM
) process started by Dr. Andrew Worster. BEEM has the only validated
audience rating tool in emergency medicine continuing medical education. To the best of our knowledge, BEEM is also the only known measure of clinical relevance
So rather than the trickle down KT method the SGEM will use the bubble up technique. The SGEM will empower students and residents with the latest and best evidence based medicine (EBM) information. They can download and listen to the SGEM podcast at anytime. Then the social media aspect can foster discussion. The students will become the KT pathway to their teachers of emergency medicine. In the process the medium will become the message (Marshall McLuhan
Enjoy, give us feedback and remember the first rule of emergency medicine…don’t panic!
Remember to be skeptical of anything you learn, even if you heard it on The Skeptics’ Guide to Emergency Medicine.
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