The Learning Curve

Summary:

In this episode of TSN5, Dr. Jenna Watts explains how to recognize spinal epidural abscess before neurological damage occurs. Learn why severe or unusual back pain, infection risk factors, elevated inflammatory markers, and a normal neurologic exam can still warrant urgent MRI—and why clinicians should never wait for paralysis to make the diagnosis.

Summary:

Pediatric sepsis just got a major rewrite. In this episode, Dr. Irtaza explains why the old SIRS-based model fell short and breaks down the 2024 Phoenix Sepsis Score. Learn how the new definition focuses on life-threatening organ dysfunction across four systems: respiratory, cardiovascular, coagulation, and neurologic. Key takeaways include a Phoenix score of 2 or more indicates pediatric sepsis, one cardiovascular point signals septic shock, and Phoenix should not be used as an early screening tool. A clear, practical update for anyone caring for acutely ill children.

Summary:

In this episode of The Learning Curve, host Dr. Irtaza Asar is joined by Dr. Jesse Pines for a conversation about the rapidly evolving role of artificial intelligence in medical education and how these technologies are beginning to reshape the way clinicians learn, teach, and make decisions.

Dr. Pines explores the opportunities AI offers for personalized learning, clinical reasoning, knowledge synthesis, feedback, and curriculum development, while also addressing the limitations and potential risks of relying too heavily on these tools. The discussion highlights practical ways educators and learners can thoughtfully integrate AI into their everyday workflows, from generating educational content and accelerating literature review to supporting clinical decision-making and creating more individualized learning experiences.

Ultimately, the conversation moves beyond the hype to examine how AI can be used responsibly—not as a replacement for physicians or educators, but as a powerful tool to augment learning, improve efficiency, enhance teaching, and help shape the future of medical education.

Key Takeaways:

Dr. Pines podcast: Healthcare AI Pioneers

Structural bias can shape patient outcomes through barriers such as delayed interpreter access, limited resources, inconsistent protocols, and unequal access to care. In this episode of TSN 5, Dr. Ryan McLoughlin explains how clinicians can recognize these system-level gaps, respond in real time, and use small, intentional actions to create more equitable care.

In this episode of Teach Me Something New in Under 5 Minutes, Dr. Ryan McLoughlin breaks down cognitive bias in emergency medicine — the thinking traps that can lead even smart, experienced clinicians toward diagnostic error. From anchoring and premature closure to availability bias, this episode highlights how bias shows up during real ED decision-making and offers a simple framework to slow down, ask “What else could this be?”, and catch potential misses before they impact patient care.

Summary:

In this TSN5 episode, Dr. Ryan McLoughlin breaks down a practical, real-time approach to recognizing implicit bias in the ED. He walks through how unconscious assumptions can influence clinical reasoning, pain management, diagnosis, and disposition — especially when we’re busy, stressed, and moving fast. Most importantly, he explains how a simple pause, a second diagnosis, and one key question can help interrupt bias before it impacts patient care.

Summary:

What do you do when the vent is maxed, the pressors are climbing, and your usual resuscitation playbook is no longer enough?

In this episode of The Learning Curve, Dr. Irtaza Asar sits down with ECMO expert Dr. Hitesh Gidwani to break down one of critical care’s most powerful rescue tools: ECMO.

Together, they unpack when to start thinking about ECMO, how to tell the difference between VV and VA ECMO, and how to recognize the patient who may benefit before it is too late. Dr. Gidwani shares practical decision-making frameworks, common pitfalls to avoid, and lessons from over a decade of ECMO experience.

From crashing patients to limb ischemia to the big-picture question of whether ECMO is truly the right bridge, this episode makes a complex topic feel practical, approachable, and clinically relevant.

A must-listen for anyone who takes care of sick patients and wants to better understand what happens when conventional resuscitation isn’t enough.

Summary:

In this TSN5 episode, Dr. Kenny Chang breaks down a practical, high-yield approach to recognizing aortic dissection in the ED. He walks through key bedside clues — sudden severe pain, pulse or perfusion deficits, and neurologic red flags — while emphasizing why this diagnosis can masquerade as ACS. Most importantly, he explains why pausing before anticoagulation or cath lab activation can be the decision that saves a life.

Summary:

“Just cellulitis” … until the patient crashes.

Necrotizing soft tissue infections are rare, deadly, and EASY to miss early. In this episode of TSN5, we break down the red flags that should make you stop and think:

Pain out of proportion

Because in nec fasc… time is tissue.

Summary:

Instead of relying on complex scoring systems, this practical approach helps clinicians confirm true syncope, recognize red flags using the ABCDE LEFT RIGHT rule, and stratify risk based on history and key findings. The result: faster, clearer decision-making—so you can confidently determine who needs further workup and who can be safely discharged.