Emergency Medicine Board Bombs

Abbi Briscoe, an emergency medicine pharmacist known as Lil Pharma, shares high-yield ED medication tips. Short, practical takes on post-intubation sedation and paralytic choices. Clear guidance on anticoagulation and reversal strategies. Fast approaches for status epilepticus and sedation, thrombolysis for unstable PE, UTI stewardship, and preferred agents for SVT and alcohol withdrawal.

A rapid walkthrough of treating continuous seizures and when to escalate care. Clear steps on initial benzodiazepine dosing and when to load antiseizure medications. Practical guidance on airway decisions, risks of paralytics masking activity, and options for refractory seizures including sedation and ketamine. Quick recap of common exam traps and essential metabolic checks.

In this episode, we break down 5 rapid-fire emergency medicine pearls that are high-yield for both ABEM board preparation and real-world ED practice. These are quick clinical insights and you will walk away wishing you knew them before your last shift. Serious FOMO, we promise.Bonus Content: We also recorded five additional rapid EM pearls exclusively for Rapid Bombs premium subscribers, available only on the premium podcast feed. Want to experience the greatest in board studying? ⁠⁠⁠Check out our interactive question bank podcast- the FIRST of its kind here⁠⁠⁠Cite this podcast as: Briggs, Blake; Wosiski-Kuhn, Marlena. 280. 5 EM pitfalls you wish you knew earlier. Accessed [date].⁠⁠⁠⁠Check out our Youtube channel!⁠⁠⁠⁠

You wanted more?? In Part 2 of our ICU Pearls series with renowned EM/Critical Care physician Dr. Haney Mallemat (@criticalcarenow), we move beyond the basics and dive into high-impact critical care strategies every emergency physician should know. These are the practical, real-world ICU concepts that change outcomes — and that often get missed during the transition from the ED to the ICU.Want to experience the greatest in board studying? ⁠⁠⁠Check out our interactive question bank podcast- the FIRST of its kind here⁠⁠⁠Cite this podcast as: Briggs, Blake; Mallemat, Haney. 279. ICU Pearls Every EM Doc Should Know (Part 2). Accessed [date].⁠⁠⁠⁠Check out our Youtube channel!⁠⁠⁠⁠

What are the low-hanging ICU pearls that every emergency physician should know?In Part 1 of this high-yield series, we sit down with renowned EM/Critical Care physician Dr. Haney Mallemat (@criticalcarenow) to break down practical, immediately applicable critical care insights for the ED. We focus on the simple decisions that make a massive difference before the patient ever reaches the ICU. One of these pearls is so easy to do, it involves a simple bedside maneuver!This episode is packed with actionable clinical pearls you can apply on your very next shift.Want to experience the greatest in board studying? ⁠⁠⁠Check out our interactive question bank podcast- the FIRST of its kind here⁠⁠⁠Cite this podcast as: Briggs, Blake; Mallemat, Haney. 278. ICU Pearls Every EM Doc Should Know (Part 1). Accessed [date].⁠⁠⁠⁠Check out our Youtube channel!⁠⁠⁠⁠

Yes, lightning strikes are rare, but when they happen, they’re high-stakes and it’s high-yield for boards. Recorded live from the Grand Canyon National Park, this episode breaks down the emergency evaluation and management of lightning strike injuries, including classic myths, unique pathophysiology, ECG findings, and lifesaving priorities in the ED.We cover why lightning victims may look dead but aren’t, when to worry about arrhythmias, how lightning differs from high-voltage electrical injuries, and the critical board-relevant pearls every emergency clinician should know.Want to experience the greatest in board studying? ⁠⁠⁠Check out our interactive question bank podcast- the FIRST of its kind here⁠⁠⁠Cite this podcast as: Wosiski-Kuhn, Marlena. 277. Lightning strikes: emergency management and myths. Accessed [date].⁠⁠⁠⁠Check out our Youtube channel!⁠⁠⁠⁠

Time is tooth.Look around. Can anyone else reimplant a tooth like you can (besides a dentist)? You are the emergency dentist. In this episode, we break down tooth avulsion management in the ED, focusing on when to reimplant a tooth at the bedside and how to do it correctly. We cover the step-by-step reimplantation process, splinting options you can actually pull off in the ED, and the mistakes that cost patients their teeth (and board exam points).Want to experience the greatest in board studying? ⁠⁠⁠Check out our interactive question bank podcast- the FIRST of its kind here⁠⁠⁠Cite this podcast as: Briggs, Blake. 276. How to reimplant an Avulsed Tooth in the ED. Accessed [date].⁠⁠⁠⁠Check out our Youtube channel!⁠⁠⁠⁠

Normal labs. Normal vitals. Normal-looking patients — and catastrophic misses.In this Rapid Bombs–style episode, we break down five classic Emergency Medicine traps that routinely fool learners and practicing clinicians. These are the questions the boards love and the mistakes the ED punishes.Want to experience the greatest in board studying? ⁠⁠Check out our interactive question bank podcast- the FIRST of its kind here⁠⁠Cite this podcast as: Briggs, Blake, Husain. 275. Tox & Cardiology Traps That Kill. Accessed [date].⁠⁠⁠Check out our Youtube channel!⁠⁠⁠

In Part 2 of this topic on diverticulitis, we cover risk stratification, red flags, and when antibiotics are appropriate. Learn how to safely discharge diverticulitis patients without antibiotics, counsel them effectively, and avoid common medico-legal pitfalls. This is outpatient diverticulitis management the way boards (and modern practice) expect it.Want to experience the greatest in board studying? ⁠⁠Check out our interactive question bank podcast- the FIRST of its kind here⁠⁠Cite this podcast as: Briggs, Blake, Husain, Iltifat, Wosiski-Kuhn, Marlena. 274. Diverticulitis: Outpatient Management Without Antibiotics (Part 2). Accessed [date].⁠⁠⁠Check out our Youtube channel!⁠⁠⁠

For years, antibiotics were automatic for diverticulitis—but the evidence has changed. So has the Board exam. In Part 1, we break down uncomplicated diverticulitis, why most outpatient cases don’t need antibiotics, and how to confidently manage these patients without over-treatment. If you’re still reflexively reaching for ciprofloxacin and metronidazole, this episode will blow your mind.