Implementation of an international medical student pen-pal club:survey outcomes of perceptions in cultural competency and global health

Background:Pen-pal clubs(PPC)are used worldwide for students to learn about different cultures and other skillsets without the need for travel.Many medical students are interested in global health opportunities abroad but costs,scheduling,and other barriers allow few to participate in such experiences.It is important that medical students have nuanced global medical perspectives and can contribute to the global medical community.Objective:The purpose of this study is to demonstrate that an international medical student PPC improves medical students'perspectives of cultural competency and global health engagement.Methods:In 2021,a novel medical student PPC was established that began between an American and Japanese medical school.Following a shareholders meeting,it was decided that the number of medical schools involved globally be expanded through previous institutional affiliations and online presences.In total,the club connected 50 American medical students and 52 medical students from 17 high-and middle-income countries.The primary form of communication was online;pen-pals were encouraged to communicate monthly using provided topics,although frequency and way of communication was their discretion.In February 2022,American PPC members were emailed a qualitative survey to assess the PPC's impact.Results:The survey was completed by 42%of American PPC members,95%of which were 22-26 years.Participants were preclinical medical students,60%whom were female and the majority either white(47%)or Asian(43%).Overall,the PPC positively influenced American medical students'perception of global medicine,medical education,and their cultural competency after joining the PPC compared to prior(P=0.004).Conclusion:PPCs encourage medical students to think from a global perspective and foster open-mindedness within varying social and cultural contexts.Having a global communication platform for students during medical school education may be an additional way to train aspiring global leaders.

Etiology of non-traumatic acute abdomen in pediatric emergency departments

Acute abdominal pain is a common complaint in pediatric emergency departments. A complete evaluation is the key factor approaching the disease and should include the patient's age, any trauma history, the onset and chronicity of the pain, the related symptoms and a detailed physical examination. The aim of this review article is to provide some information for physicians in pediatric emergency departments, with the age factors and several causes of non-traumatic acute abdominal pain. The leading causes of acute abdominal pain are divided into four age groups: infants younger than 2 years old, children 2 to 5, children 5 to 12, and children older than 12 years old. We review the information about acute appendicitis, intussusception, HenochSchnlein purpura, infection, Meckel's diverticulum and mesenteric adenitis. In conclusion, the etiologies of acute abdomen in children admitted to the emergency department vary depending on age. A complete history and detailed physical examination, as well as abdominal imaging examinations, could provide useful information for physicians in the emergency department to narrow the differential diagnosis of abdominal emergencies and give a timely treatment.

The mortality of patients in a pediatric emergency department at a tertiary medical center in China: An observational study

BACKGROUND: The quality of treatment for critically ill children varies widely at different hospitals. This study aimed to analyze the characteristics of mortality in a pediatric emergency department(PED) at a tertiary children's hospital in Guangzhou, China and to investigate the risk factors associated with the mortality.METHODS: The mortality of pediatric patients at the hospital from 2011 to 2013 was retrospectively analyzed using descriptive statistics.RESULTS: Altogether 466 919 patients visited the PED during the period and 43 925 of them were admitted for further observation. In 230 deaths, the ratio of boys to girls was 1.4:1, and their age ranged from 2 hours to 16 years(median, 5 months). The time from admission to death ranged from 0 to 216 hours(median, 1.5 hours). There were 92(40%) patients who died within 24 hours after admission and 104(45.2%) patients who died on arrival. The prominent causes of the deaths were respiratory diseases, neuromuscular disorders, cardiovascular diseases, and sepsis, most of which were ascribed to severe infection. Sixty-five deaths were associated with more than one concomitant problem. The top concomitant problems were congenital malformation, low gestational age, and severe birth asphyxia.CONCLUSIONS: In our center, 40% of the patients in the PED died of fatal acute diseases, and pneumonia was the first leading cause of the deaths. Almost half of the deaths occurred on arrival and the rest were due to end-stage malignant diseases. This study emphasized the importance of prevention of birth deficits by reducing deaths in infants and children.

The use of outcome feedback by emergency medicine physicians: Results of a physician survey

BACKGROUND: Feedback on patient outcomes is invaluable to the practice of emergency medicine but examples of effective forms of feedback have not been well characterized in the literature. We describe one system of emergency department(ED) outcome feedback called the return visit report(RVR) and present the results of a survey assessing physicians' perceptions of this novel form of feedback. METHODS: An Opinio web-based survey was conducted in 81 emergency physicians(EPs) at three EDs.RESULTS: Of the 81 physicians surveyed, 40(49%) responded. Most participants indicated that they frequently review their RVRs(83%), that RVRs are valuable to their practice of medicine(80%), and that RVRs alter their practice in future encounters(57%). Respondents reported seeking other forms of outcome feedback including speaking with other EPs(83%) and reviewing discharge summaries of admitted patients(87%). There was no correlation between demographic data and use of RVRs.CONCLUSION: EPs value RVRs as a form of feedback. RVRs could be improved by reducing the observational interval and optimizing report relevance and differential weighting.

Physician-Rated Utility of Procedure Videos for Teaching Procedures in the Emergency Department, Overall and during Emergency Department Crowding

Background: Real-time use of procedure videos as educational tools has not been studied. We sought to determine whether viewing a video of a medical procedure prior to procedure performance in the emergency department improves the quality of teaching of procedures, and whether videos are particularly beneficial during periods of emergency department crowding. Methods: In this single-centre, prospective, before and after study standardized data collection forms were completed by both trainees and supervising emergency physicians (EPs) at the end of each emergency department shift in the before (August 2008-March 2009) and after (August 2009-March 2010) phase. Online procedure videos were introduced on emergency department computers in the after phase. The primary outcome measure was EP rating of the quality of teaching provided (5-point Likert scale). The interaction between crowding and videos was also assessed, to determine whether videos provide a specific additional benefit during periods of emergency department crowding. Results: There were 1159 procedures performed by 192 trainees. Median procedures performed per shift was 1.0 (IQR 0 - 2.0). Mean EP rating of teaching provided was significantly higher in the group that viewed videos, at 4.2 versus 3.7 (p 0.001). In the adjusted analysis, EP ratings increased by 0.5 with a video (p 0.001), while the odds of a score of 5.0 were 2.2 times greater if a video was viewed (p = 0.03). The interaction of crowding and procedure videos was not significant (the use of videos increased the average score by 0.24 in times of crowding compared to times of non-crowding, p = 0.19). Conclusions: Use of procedural videos was associated with EP perception of improved quality of teaching provided around procedures. While EPs rated the quality of their teaching as improved overall, the effect of videos on teaching quality was the same in crowded settings as it was in non-crowded setting.

Experiences and Conclusions of the Hungarian Emergency Sepsis Register

Objective: Early recognition is a key step in decreasing morbidity and mortality in sepsis. Like in other European countries an ever growing number of septic patients enter hospitals via emergency departments. Our goal was to assess the number and severity of patients with sepsis, severe sepsis and septic shock attending the Hungarian emergency departments. Methods: Two-hundred and ninety-nine patients were entered into the Hungarian Emergency Sepsis Register, focusing on age, disease severity, monitoring and oxygenation. Application and time of administration of antibiotics, use of biomarkers, i.e. lactate and procalcitonin, disposition of patients were assessed using a web-based electronic questionnaire. Results: Data arriving from twenty emergency departments revealed that with severity of the disease oxygen administration and level of monitoring increased, along with antibiotic administration and use of biomarkers. Time spent in the ED did not differ between septic, severely septic and septic shock patients;however higher level of care was provided for the sickest patients. Conclusion: Our register data indicate that sepsis presents a substantial challenge to Hungarian emergency departments. The set standards for timely, adequate treatment are not yet met. The results are however also influenced by characteristics of the Hungarian health care system, most notably the lack of hospice systems. Further studies are needed to separate the subset of patients who would require and of life care.

Effects of contact/collision sport history on gait in early-to mid-adulthood

Background:To determine the effect of contact/collision sport participation on measures of single-task(ST)and dual-task(DT)gait among early-to middle-aged adults.Methods:The study recruited 113 adults(34.88±11.80 years,(mean±SD);53.0%female)representing 4 groups.Groups included(a)former non-contact/collision athletes and non-athletes who are not physically active(n=28);(b)former non-contact/collision athletes who are physically active(n=29);(c)former contact/collision sport athletes who participated in high-risk sports and are physically active(n=29);and(d)former rugby players with prolonged repetitive head impact exposure history who are physically active(n=27).Gait parameters were collected using inertial measurement units during ST and DT gait.DT cost was calculated for all gait parameters(double support,gait speed,and stride length).Groups were compared first using one-way analysis of covariance.Then a multiple regression was performed for participants in the highrisk sport athletes and repetitive head impact exposure athletes groups only to predict gait outcomes from contact/collision sport career duration.Results:There were no significant differences between groups on any ST,DT,or DT cost outcomes(p>0.05).Contact/collision sport duration did not predict any ST,DT,or DT cost gait outcomes.Conclusion:Years and history of contact/collision sport participation does not appear to negatively affect or predict neurobehavioral function in early-to mid-adulthood among physically active individuals.

Interleukin-34 deficiency aggravates development of colitis and colitis-associated cancer in mice

BACKGROUND Although expression of interleukin(IL)-34 is upregulated in active ulcerative colitis(UC),the molecular function and underlying mechanism are largely unclear.AIM To investigate the function of IL-34 in acute colitis,in a wound healing model and in colitis-associated cancer in IL-34-deficient mice.METHODS Colitis was induced by administration of dextran sodium sulfate(DSS),and carcinogenesis was induced by azoxymethane(AOM).Whether the impact of IL-34 on colitis was dependent on macrophages was validated by depletion of macrophages in a murine model.The association between IL-34 expression and epithelial proliferation was studied in patients with active UC.RESULTS IL-34 deficiency aggravated murine colitis in acute colitis and in wound healing phase.The effect of IL-34 on experimental colitis was not dependent on macrophage differentiation and polarization.IL-34-deficient mice developed more tumors than wild-type mice following administration of AOM and DSS.No significant difference was shown in degree of cellular differentiation in tumors between wild-type and IL-34-deficient mice.IL-34 was dramatically increased in the active UC patients as previously reported.More importantly,expression of IL-34 was positively correlated with epithelial cell proliferation in patients with UC.CONCLUSION IL-34 deficiency exacerbates colonic inflammation and accelerates colitis-associated carcinogenesis in mice.It might be served as a potential therapeutic target in UC.

Prevalence, significance and predictive value of antiphospholipid antibodies in Crohn's disease

AIM: To assess the prevalence and stability of different antiphospholipid antibodies(APLAs) and their association with disease phenotype and progression in inflammatory bowel diseases(IBD) patients.METHODS: About 458 consecutive patients [Crohn's disease(CD): 271 and ulcerative colitis(UC): 187] were enrolled into a follow-up cohort study in a tertiary IBD referral center in Hungary. Detailed clinical phenotypes were determined at enrollment by reviewing the patients' medical charts. Disease activity, medical treatment and data about evolvement of complications or surgical interventions were determined prospectively during the follow-up. Disease course(development f complicated disease phenotype and need for surgery),occurrence of thrombotic events, actual state of diseaseactivity according to clinical, laboratory and endoscopic scores and accurate treatment regime were recorded during the follow-up,(median, 57.4 and 61.6 mo for CD and UC). Sera of IBD patients and 103 healthy controls(HC) were tested on individual anti-β2-Glycoprotein-I(anti-β2-GPI IgA/M/G), anti-cardiolipin(ACA IgA/M/G)and anti-phosphatidylserine/prothrombin(anti-PS/PT IgA/M/G) antibodies and also anti-Saccharomyces cerevisiae antibodies(ASCA IgA/G) by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA). In a subgroup of CD(n = 198) and UC patients(n = 103), obtaining consecutive samples over various arbitrary timepoints during the disease course, we evaluated the intraindividual stability of the APLA status. Additionally,we provide an overview of studies, performed so far, in which significance of APLAs in IBD were assessed.RESULTS: Patients with CD had significantly higher prevalence of both ACA(23.4%) and anti-PS/PT(20.4%) antibodies than UC(4.8%, p < 0.0001 and10.2%, p = 0.004) and HC(2.9%, p < 0.0001 and15.5%, p = NS). No difference was found for the prevalence of anti-β2-GPI between different groups(7.2%-9.7%). In CD, no association was found between APLA and ASCA status of the patients.Occurrence of anti-β2-GPI, ACA and anti-PS/PT was not different between the group of patients with active vs inactive disease state according to appropriate clinical, laboratory and endoscopic scores in CD as well as in UC patients. All subtypes of anti-β2-GPI and ACA IgM status were found to be very stable over time, in contrast ACA IgG and even more ACA IgA status showed significant intraindividual changes.Changes in antibody status were more remarkable in CD than UC(ACA IgA: 49.9% vs 23.3% and ACA IgG:21.2% vs 5.8%). Interestingly, 59.1% and 30.1% of CD patients who received anti-TNF therapy showed significant negative to positive changes in ACA IgA and IgG antibody status respectively. APLA status was not associated with the clinical phenotype at diagnosis or during follow-up, medical therapy, or thrombotic events and it was not associated with the probability of developing complicated disease phenotype or surgery in a Kaplan-Meier analysis.CONCLUSION: The present study demonstrated enhanced formation of APLAs in CD patients. However,presence of different APLAs were not associated with the clinical phenotype or disease course.

Ultrasound for Detection of Ascites and for Guidance of the Paracentesis Procedure: Technique and Review of the Literature

Objective: To review the use of ultrasound (US) for the detection of free intraperitoneal fluid (ascites) and for the procedural guidance of the paracentesis procedure. Methods: Two clinical vignettes are presented to review the pertinent diagnostic, management and safety considerations associated with paracentesis. First, US techniques used for the identification of ascites and in the quantification of fluid pockets amenable to aspiration will be discussed. Next, the actual steps required for the performance of US-guided paracentesis will be covered. A review and analysis of the most current literature regarding US and paracentesis then follows. Conclusion: Current literature favors US-guided paracentesis over the traditional blind technique with a significant reduction in both the rate of unsuccessful aspiration of fluid and in the bleeding complications related to this procedure. Use of US for both the diagnostic and therapeutic management of ascites should be advocated as an essential skill for physicians and other health care providers caring for these patients.

Necrotic stercoral colitis:Importance of computed tomography findings

AIM: To study the computed tomography (CT) signs in facilitating early diagnosis of necrotic stercoral colitis (NSC). METHODS: Ten patients with surgically and pathologically confirmed NSC were recruited from the Clinico-Pathologic-Radiologic conference at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan. Their CT images and medical records were reviewed retrospectively to correlate CT findings with clinical presentation. RESULTS: All these ten elderly patients with a mean age of 77.1 years presented with acute abdomen at our Emergency Room. Nine of them were with systemic medical disease and 8 with chronic constipation. Seven were with leukocytosis, two with low-grade fever, two with peritoneal sign, and three with hypotensive shock. Only one patient was with radiographic detected abnormal gas. Except the crux of fecal impaction, the frequency of the CT signs of NSC were, proximal colon dilatation (20%), colon wall thickening (60%), dense mucosa (62.5%), mucosal sloughing (10%), perfusion defect (70%), pericolonic stranding (80%), abnormal gas (50%) with pneumo-mesocolon (40%) in them, pericolonic abscess (20%). The most sensitive signs in decreasing order were pericolonic stranding, perfusion defect, dense mucosal, detecting about 80%, 70%, and 62.5% of the cases, respectively. CONCLUSION: Awareness of NSC and familiarity with the CT diagnostic signs enable the differential diagnosis between NSC and benign stool impaction.

Morbidity and mortality risk factors in emergency department patients with Acinetobacter baumannii bacteremia

BACKGROUND:Acinetobacter baumannii(AB)bacteremia is an increasingly common and often fatal nosocomial infection.Identification of morbidity and mortality risk factors for AB bacteremia in emergency department(ED)patients may provide ways to improve the clinical outcomes of these patients.METHODS:The records for 51 patients with AB bacteremia and 51 patients without AB infection were collected and matched in a retrospective case-control study between 2013 and 2015 in a singlecenter ED.Risk factors were analyzed by Chi-square and multivariate logistic regression statistical models.RESULTS:A significant risk factor for morbidity was the presence of a central venous catheter(CVC)(P<0.001).The mortality rate for the 51 patients with AB bacteremia was 68.6%.Risk factors for mortality were the presence of a CVC(P=0.021)and an ED stay longer than two weeks(P=0.015).CONCLUSION:AB infections lead to high morbidity and mortality.The presence of a CVC was associated with higher morbidity and mortality in patients with AB bacteremia.Avoiding CVC insertions may improve outcomes in ED patients with AB bacteremia.

Clinical overview of hypertensive crisis in children

Hypertensive emergencies and hypertensive urgencies in children are uncommonly encountered in the pediatric emergency department and intensive care units, but the diseases are potentially a life-threatening medical emergency. In comparison with adults, hypertension in children is mostly asymptomatic and most have no history of hypertension. Additionally, measuring accurate blood pressure values in younger children is not easy. This article reviews current concepts in pediatric patients with severe hypertension.

Using markedly abnormal vital signs in the emergency department to anticipate needs for intensive care unit admission

Objective: To assess the utility and relative strength of markedly abnormal vital signs thresholds (triggers) in prediction of the needs for intensive care unit (ICU) admission from the emergency department (ED). Methods: A retrospective cohort study performed in a 37 000 annual visit, urban, community teaching ED. All adult patient encounters from July 10, 2011 to July 9, 2013 were eligible for inclusion. The primary outcome was ICU admission from the ED. We collected the incidence of trigger vital signs (heart rate>130 bpm, heart rate<40 bpm, respiratory rate>30 breaths per minute, respiratory rate< breaths 8 per minute, oxygen saturation<90%, systolic blood pressure<90 mmHg) as binary variables for each patient enrolled. Univariate and multi-variable logistic regression models were created to determine the ability of the trigger vital signs to predict ICU admission. Results: Total of 68 554 patient encounters were included in the analysis. Of these, 2 355 [3.4%, 95% confidence intervals (CI) 3.3%-3.6%] patients exhibited trigger vital signs, and 1 135 (1.7%, 95% CI 1.6%-1.8%) patients were admitted to ICU. All trigger vital signs were strongly associated with admission to the ICU and demonstrated higher odds of ICU admission with HR<40 (odds ratio 5.2, with 95% CI 2.7-10.1) being the best predictor among the studied covariates. The likelihood of ICU admission increased in a linear fashion with the number of trigger vital signs exhibited. Conclusions: Trigger vital signs serve as predictors that an ED patient may need admission to the ICU and may serve as a tool to expedite disposition of these resource-intensive patients.

A diagnosis with a twist:Ultrasonographic sensitivity and predictors of pediatric ovarian torsion within a large pediatric hospital

The diagnosis of ovarian torsion(OT)in girls is challenging compared to that of testicular torsion in boys for many reasons,but it behooves the medical community to continue to strive to better identify this uncommon but clinically important pathology^([1]) OT occurs when the ovary and associated structures rotate around its vascular pedicle,leading to eventually irreversible necrosis.^([2,3])Studies attempting to identify clinical features for early diagnosis have not reached a consensus on the best clinical predictors of this condition,making radiographic imaging of the ovaries even more crucial.^([4,5])

Improving antibiotic prescribing in the emergency department for uncomplicated community-acquired pneumonia

BACKGROUND:The Pediatric Infectious Disease Society(PIDS)and Infectious Disease Society of America(IDSA)published an evidence-based guideline for the treatment of uncomplicated communityacquired pneumonia(CAP)in children,recommending aminopenicillins as the first-line therapy.Poor guideline compliance with 10%–50%of patients admitted to the hospital receiving narrow-spectrum antibiotics has been reported.A new clinical practice guideline(CPG)was implemented in our emergency department(ED)for uncomplicated CAP.The aim of this study was to examine baseline knowledge and ED provider prescribing patterns pre-and post-CPG implementation.METHODS:Prior to CPG-implementation,an anonymous case-based survey was distributed to evaluate knowledge of the current PIDS/IDSA guideline.A retrospective chart review of patients treated in the ED for CAP from January 2015 to February 2017 was performed to assess prescribing patterns for intravenous(IV)antibiotics in the ED at Children’s National Health System pre-and post-CPG implementation.RESULTS:ED providers were aware of the PIDS/IDSA guideline recommendations,with 86.4%of survey responders selecting ampicillin as the initial antibiotic of choice.However,only 41.2%of patients admitted to the hospital with uncomplicated CAP pre-CPG received ampicillin(P<0.01).There was no statistically signifi cant increase in ampicillin prescribing post-CPG(P=0.40).CONCLUSIONS:Providers in the ED are aware of the PIDS/IDSA guideline regarding the first-line therapy for uncomplicated CAP;however,this knowledge does not translate into clinical practice.Implementation of a CPG in isolation did not significantly change prescribing patterns for uncomplicated CAP.

A cross-sectional study of children with acute poisoning:A three-year retrospective analysis

BACKGROUND： There is a lack of evidence on description of burden and cases of childhood poisoning in developing countries. This study aimed to assess the characteristics of children with acute poisoning, and factors for time of presentation to health facility and nature of poisoning.METHODS： A cross-sectional study was conducted at three major pediatric referral hospitals in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Description of demographics of children with acute poisoning and factors associated with time to presentation and nature of poisoning were analyzed. Data were entered to Epi info 3.5.3 and analyzed with SPSS version 20.RESULTS： Over three years, we retrieved records of a total of 128 children admitted for acute poisoning. The mean age of victims was 5.46 （SD, standard deviation=4.48） years. The majority （29.7%） were poisoned by prescribed drugs. Most poisoning incidents （73.5%） were unintentional in nature. The median time to health facility visit was 15.5 hours. Age less than 2 years was related to earlier presentation to health facility （P=0.010, OR=0.28, 95%CI=0.10–0.74）. Children with age more than 5 years was more likely to have intentional poisoning （χ2=25.06, P〈0.0001）. None of the victims was provided psychosocial evaluation and counseling.CONCLUSION： Most poisoning incidents are unintentional. Prescribed drugs are the commonest causes. Psychosocial counseling and care for the affected children is lacking. Family and community education should be given on prevention of poisoning. We recommend that caregivers take the required action in keeping prescribed drugs at home. Psychosocial support should be part of care and treatment of children with poisoning.

Diagnosis and management of small bowel neuroendocrine tumors:A state-of-the-art

This review provides an update on the epidemiology,pathophysiology,symptoms,diagnosis and treatment of neuroendocrine neoplasms(NENs)of the small bowel(SB).These NENs are defined as a group of neoplasms deriving from neuroendocrine cells.NENs are currently the most common primary tumors of the SB,mainly involving the ileum,making the SB the most frequently affected part of the gastrointestinal tract.SB NENs by definition are located between the ligament of Treitz and the ileocecal valve.They are characterized by small size and induce an extensive fibrotic reaction in the small intestine including the mesentery,resulting in narrowing or twisting of the intestine.Clinical manifestations of bowel functionality are related to the precise location of the primary tumor.The majority of them are non-functional NENs and generally asymptomatic;in an advanced stage,NENs present symptoms of mass effect by non-specific abdominal pain or carcinoid syndrome which appears in patients with liver metastasis(around 10%).The main manifestations of the carcinoid syndrome are facial flushing(94%),diarrhea(78%),abdominal cramps(50%),heart valve disease(50%),telangiectasia(25%),wheezing(15%)and edema(19%).Diagnosis is made by imaging or biochemical tests,and the order of request will depend on the initial diagnostic hypothesis,while confirmation will always be histological.All patients with a localized SB NEN with or without near metastasis in the mesentery are recommended for curative resection.Locoregional and distant spread may be susceptible to several therapeutic strategies,such as chemotherapy,somatostatin analogs and palliative resection.

Deadly case of Pasteurella multocida aortitis and mycotic aneurysm following a cat bite

Animal bites are frequently encountered in the emergency department(ED). Aortitis leading to mycotic abdominal aortic aneurysm is a rare and potentially deadly complication of Pasteurella multocida(P. multocida) following an animal bite. We present the case of a 68-year-old male who presented to the ED after falling at home. He complained of weakness and abdominal pain. He was in septic shock and was treated empirically with broad-spectrum antibiotics and intravenous fluids. He reported previous antibiotic treatment of a cellulitis secondary to a cat bite injury to his right thumb four weeks prior. Abdominal ultrasound and subsequent computed tomography scan revealed a leaking mycotic abdominal aneurysm that was surgically repaired. Blood cultures and aortic wall tissue cultures grew P. multocida. Given how common animal bite presentations are in the ED, this case highlights the need to consider aortitis and mycotic abdominal aortic aneurysm in an unwell patient with an animal bite.

The “July Effect” in the intensive care units revisited:A bi-institutional 6-year experience of 57,160 patients

July coincides with the beginning of the academic year in teaching hospitals across the United States of America (USA).The increased responsibility assumed by trainees transitioning to a higher role in the healthcare team is hypothesized to lead to poorer patient outcomes,termed the“July Effect”.The consequence of a“July Effect”might be more severe in critical care settings,where the complexity of patients requires a higher level of experience and training.The only studies evaluating the“July Effect”in the ICU were published in the early 2000’s.;Since that time,several resident work-hour regulations have been implemented by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME).;These regulations have resulted in more frequent sign-outs,reduced continuity of care,and less clinical time for trainees,which in theory could increase the risk of errors among young trainees at the time they are most vulnerable.