Emergency Medicine - Syllabus
Emergency Medicine - Syllabus
Completion requirements
**Course Information**
* Course Title: Emergency Medicine Fundamentals for STEP2CK
* Course Code: EMED211
* Credit Hours: 15.0
* Prerequisites: Basic Life Support (BLS) certification and completion of a medical school introductory course in emergency medicine.
* Instructor: Dr. Jane Smith, MD, FACEP
**Course Description**
The Emergency Medicine Fundamentals for STEP2CK course is designed to provide medical students with a comprehensive understanding of the principles and practices of emergency medicine, as outlined in the Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) and Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) algorithms. This course is tailored to support students preparing for the STEP2CK exam, focusing on high-yield topics, case-based learning, and scenario-based practice.
The target audience for this course includes medical students pursuing a career in emergency medicine or those seeking to enhance their knowledge of emergency medicine principles. The course content is relevant to medical practice, as it prepares students to manage complex cases and apply evidence-based guidelines in real-world settings.
**Learning Objectives**
Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
1. Understand the pathophysiology and clinical presentation of common emergency medicine conditions (analyze)
2. Apply ACLS and PALS algorithms to manage acute cardiac and pediatric emergencies (apply)
3. Evaluate the effectiveness of various treatment modalities in emergency medicine settings (evaluate)
4. Recognize and manage common causes of death in emergency medicine, including traumatic injuries, respiratory distress, and cardiac arrest (analyze)
5. Develop a systematic approach to diagnosing and treating patients with undifferentiated presentations (apply)
6. Use ultrasound technology to guide interventions in emergency medicine (apply)
7. Identify and manage patients at risk for bleeding or thrombosis (analyze)
8. Apply principles of pain management in acute settings (evaluate)
9. Recognize the signs and symptoms of opioid overdose and respond appropriately (apply)
10. Develop a plan for managing pediatric emergencies, including pediatric trauma and pediatric cardiology (analyze)
11. Understand the importance of team dynamics and communication in emergency medicine (apply)
12. Evaluate the effectiveness of various interventions to improve patient outcomes in emergency medicine settings (evaluate)
**Course Content Outline**
Week 1: Introduction to Emergency Medicine
* Overview of emergency medicine
* Definition of critical care
* Review of ACLS and PALS algorithms
Week 2-3: Acute Cardiac Presentations
* Pathophysiology and clinical presentation of acute coronary syndromes
* Management of myocardial infarction and cardiac arrest
* Review of ACLS algorithm for cardiac arrest
Week 4-5: Pediatric Emergencies
* Overview of pediatric emergency medicine
* Management of pediatric trauma and pediatric cardiology
* Review of PALS algorithm for pediatric emergencies
Week 6-7: Trauma and Injury
* Pathophysiology and clinical presentation of traumatic injuries
* Management of bleeding and thrombosis
* Review of advanced trauma life support (ATLS) algorithms
Week 8-9: Respiratory Distress
* Overview of respiratory distress syndromes
* Management of acute respiratory failure
* Review of ACLS algorithm for respiratory arrest
Week 10-11: Neurological Emergencies
* Pathophysiology and clinical presentation of neurological emergencies
* Management of stroke and traumatic brain injury
* Review of ACLS algorithm for neurological emergencies
Week 12: Comprehensive Review and Practice Exam
* Review of high-yield topics from the course
* Practice exam with multiple-choice questions and case-based scenarios
**Required Readings & Resources**
* Textbooks:
+ "Acute Care Medicine: A Practical Guide" by M. Stephen Davis, MD et al.
+ "Emergency Medicine: The Art and Science of Urgent Patient Care" by Robert S. McDermott, MD et al.
* Journal articles:
+ "Journal of Emergency Medicine"
+ "Annals of Internal Medicine"
* Online resources:
+ American Heart Association (AHA) guidelines for ACLS and PALS
+ American College of Cardiology (ACC) guidelines for acute coronary syndromes
* Reference materials:
+ Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) manual
+ Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) manual
**Assessment & Grading**
* Exams: 60% of final grade
* Assignments: 20% of final grade
* Participation: 10% of final grade
* Late submission policy:
+ First late submission: -5%
+ Second late submission: -10%
* Academic integrity policy:
+ Plagiarism and academic dishonesty will not be tolerated.
+ Students who engage in academic dishonesty may receive a failing grade or be subject to further disciplinary action.
**Course Schedule**
Week 1-2: Introduction to Emergency Medicine
* Week 3-4: Acute Cardiac Presentations
* Week 5-6: Pediatric Emergencies
* Week 7-8: Trauma and Injury
* Week 9-10: Respiratory Distress
* Week 11-12: Neurological Emergencies
* Final Practice Exam
Important Dates:
* Course begins: January 1, 2024
* Midterm exam: February 15, 2024
* Final practice exam: March 31, 2024
* Final exam: April 30, 2024
**Course Policies**
* Attendance policy:
+ Regular attendance is expected. More than two unexcused absences will negatively impact participation grades.
* Academic integrity policy:
+ Plagiarism and academic dishonesty will not be tolerated.
+ Students who engage in academic dishonesty may receive a failing grade or be subject to further disciplinary action.
* Late submission policy:
+ First late submission: -5%
+ Second late submission: -10%
* Course Title: Emergency Medicine Fundamentals for STEP2CK
* Course Code: EMED211
* Credit Hours: 15.0
* Prerequisites: Basic Life Support (BLS) certification and completion of a medical school introductory course in emergency medicine.
* Instructor: Dr. Jane Smith, MD, FACEP
**Course Description**
The Emergency Medicine Fundamentals for STEP2CK course is designed to provide medical students with a comprehensive understanding of the principles and practices of emergency medicine, as outlined in the Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) and Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) algorithms. This course is tailored to support students preparing for the STEP2CK exam, focusing on high-yield topics, case-based learning, and scenario-based practice.
The target audience for this course includes medical students pursuing a career in emergency medicine or those seeking to enhance their knowledge of emergency medicine principles. The course content is relevant to medical practice, as it prepares students to manage complex cases and apply evidence-based guidelines in real-world settings.
**Learning Objectives**
Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
1. Understand the pathophysiology and clinical presentation of common emergency medicine conditions (analyze)
2. Apply ACLS and PALS algorithms to manage acute cardiac and pediatric emergencies (apply)
3. Evaluate the effectiveness of various treatment modalities in emergency medicine settings (evaluate)
4. Recognize and manage common causes of death in emergency medicine, including traumatic injuries, respiratory distress, and cardiac arrest (analyze)
5. Develop a systematic approach to diagnosing and treating patients with undifferentiated presentations (apply)
6. Use ultrasound technology to guide interventions in emergency medicine (apply)
7. Identify and manage patients at risk for bleeding or thrombosis (analyze)
8. Apply principles of pain management in acute settings (evaluate)
9. Recognize the signs and symptoms of opioid overdose and respond appropriately (apply)
10. Develop a plan for managing pediatric emergencies, including pediatric trauma and pediatric cardiology (analyze)
11. Understand the importance of team dynamics and communication in emergency medicine (apply)
12. Evaluate the effectiveness of various interventions to improve patient outcomes in emergency medicine settings (evaluate)
**Course Content Outline**
Week 1: Introduction to Emergency Medicine
* Overview of emergency medicine
* Definition of critical care
* Review of ACLS and PALS algorithms
Week 2-3: Acute Cardiac Presentations
* Pathophysiology and clinical presentation of acute coronary syndromes
* Management of myocardial infarction and cardiac arrest
* Review of ACLS algorithm for cardiac arrest
Week 4-5: Pediatric Emergencies
* Overview of pediatric emergency medicine
* Management of pediatric trauma and pediatric cardiology
* Review of PALS algorithm for pediatric emergencies
Week 6-7: Trauma and Injury
* Pathophysiology and clinical presentation of traumatic injuries
* Management of bleeding and thrombosis
* Review of advanced trauma life support (ATLS) algorithms
Week 8-9: Respiratory Distress
* Overview of respiratory distress syndromes
* Management of acute respiratory failure
* Review of ACLS algorithm for respiratory arrest
Week 10-11: Neurological Emergencies
* Pathophysiology and clinical presentation of neurological emergencies
* Management of stroke and traumatic brain injury
* Review of ACLS algorithm for neurological emergencies
Week 12: Comprehensive Review and Practice Exam
* Review of high-yield topics from the course
* Practice exam with multiple-choice questions and case-based scenarios
**Required Readings & Resources**
* Textbooks:
+ "Acute Care Medicine: A Practical Guide" by M. Stephen Davis, MD et al.
+ "Emergency Medicine: The Art and Science of Urgent Patient Care" by Robert S. McDermott, MD et al.
* Journal articles:
+ "Journal of Emergency Medicine"
+ "Annals of Internal Medicine"
* Online resources:
+ American Heart Association (AHA) guidelines for ACLS and PALS
+ American College of Cardiology (ACC) guidelines for acute coronary syndromes
* Reference materials:
+ Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) manual
+ Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) manual
**Assessment & Grading**
* Exams: 60% of final grade
* Assignments: 20% of final grade
* Participation: 10% of final grade
* Late submission policy:
+ First late submission: -5%
+ Second late submission: -10%
* Academic integrity policy:
+ Plagiarism and academic dishonesty will not be tolerated.
+ Students who engage in academic dishonesty may receive a failing grade or be subject to further disciplinary action.
**Course Schedule**
Week 1-2: Introduction to Emergency Medicine
* Week 3-4: Acute Cardiac Presentations
* Week 5-6: Pediatric Emergencies
* Week 7-8: Trauma and Injury
* Week 9-10: Respiratory Distress
* Week 11-12: Neurological Emergencies
* Final Practice Exam
Important Dates:
* Course begins: January 1, 2024
* Midterm exam: February 15, 2024
* Final practice exam: March 31, 2024
* Final exam: April 30, 2024
**Course Policies**
* Attendance policy:
+ Regular attendance is expected. More than two unexcused absences will negatively impact participation grades.
* Academic integrity policy:
+ Plagiarism and academic dishonesty will not be tolerated.
+ Students who engage in academic dishonesty may receive a failing grade or be subject to further disciplinary action.
* Late submission policy:
+ First late submission: -5%
+ Second late submission: -10%
Last modified: Sunday, 9 November 2025, 5:47 PM