It’s possible to utilize transthoracic echocardiography (TTE), a noninvasive technique, to estimate a patient’s cardiac output. I’ll use some images from an echo I performed on a patient with a depressed left ventricular ejection fraction on low dose pressors. Yes, I know the echo images aren’t perfect. :-PWe know that cardiac…
Due to the right ventricle’s (RV) unique geometry and cylindrical contraction pattern, assessing its function in echocardiography can be difficult. One of the more simple and reproducible techniques used to determine RV function is the tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE). This is easy to do at the bedside using…
I spent the last two weeks in the coronary care unit (CCU) as part of my first elective. Although the CCU is an ICU, the patients are much more “medical” than surgical, and therefore, present different challenges compared to what I saw at the beginning of my fellowship.
Moonlighting basically entails taking on paid work on top of my normal job. Our program restricts moonlighting hours to ~20 hours per month, so we remain focused on our fellowship at hand instead of lucrative opportunities to make extra money.
As of this morning (and assuming I passed), I’m officially finished with my anesthesiology written boards. Moving to a new city and starting fellowship made it difficult to study for the exam, but it’s finally over. Now I can turn my attention to studying critical care 100%… until my anesthesiology…
I’m finished with an eight day stretch of days/nights in our combined surgical, burn, and trauma ICU. What an incredible way to start off fellowship!
Here’s a rundown of the belongings I carry to work every day as a critical care fellow:
Last Thursday, I received my car, washed it, and unloaded all the clothes I had packed into the trunk to finally generated some semblance of a wardrobe. :-)
My experience of moving to Boston is best described through a timeline: