The effectiveness of training with an emergency department simulator on medical student performance in a simulated disaster.

Objective: Training in practical aspects of disaster medicine is often impossible, and simulation may offer an educational opportunity superior to traditional didactic methods. We sought to determine whether exposure to an electronic simulation tool would improve the ability of medical students to manage a simulated disaster.

Methods: We stratified 22 students by year of education and randomly assigned 50% from each category to form the intervention group, with the remaining 50% forming the control group.

Accuracy of computer simulation to predict patient flow during mass-casualty incidents.

Introduction: Although most hospitals have an emergency department disaster plan, most never have been implemented in a true disaster or been tested objectively. Computer simulation may be a useful tool to predict emergency department patient flow during a disaster.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to compare the accuracy of a computer simulation in predicting emergency department patient flow during a mass-casualty incident with that of a real-time, virtual, live exercise.

Simulation of a hospital disaster plan: a virtual, live exercise.

Introduction: Currently, there is no widely available method to evaluate an emergency department disaster plan. Creation of a standardized patient database and the use of a virtual, live exercise may lead to a standardized and reproducible method that can be used to evaluate a disaster plan.

Purpose: A virtual, live exercise was designed with the primary objective of evaluating a hospital's emergency department disaster plan.

A community-based model for medical management of a large scale sporting event.

Objective: To develop and assess a community-based model for medical coverage for a large multisport event.

Design: The model included pre-event risk stratification, a concise training program for all medical volunteers, and detailed medical control guidelines. Prospective data collection was performed using standardized injury reporting forms.

The dramatic presentation of colonic lipomata: report of two cases and review of the literature.

Colonic lipoma with a dramatic presentation requiring urgent operation is a rare occurrence. We report two such cases in conjunction with a review of the literature on colonic lipomata. Clinicopathologic features of two patients who required urgent resection were studied.

Faculty evaluation by residents in an emergency medicine program: a new evaluation instrument.

Objective: Evaluation of preceptors in training programs is essential; however, little research has been performed in the setting of the emergency department (ED). The goal of this pilot study was to determine the validity and reliability of a faculty evaluation instrument-the Emergency Rotation (ER) scale-developed specifically for use in emergency medicine (EM).

Methods: A prospective study comparing the ER scale with two alternative faculty evaluation instruments was completed in three of the five EDs affiliated with an EM teaching program, where emergency physicians are members of the clinical teaching faculty.

Poisoning-induced acute atraumatic compartment syndrome.

Acute Atraumatic Compartment Syndrome (AACS) can be a potentially life and limb threatening complication of either drug abuse or medication injection. Prompt recognition followed by emergency fasciotomy is required to avoid permanent disability. A better understanding of the different clinical presentations may lead to improved outcomes through more expedient diagnosis and treatment.