I AM A LOOKING TO GO

A drinking binge leads to a surgical emergency

Figure 1 Quiz of the Week A 58-year-old male presents to the emergency department with dyspnea, and severe chest pain that radiates to his shoulder. He has a history of alcoholism and has just finished a 4-day drinking binge. On examination, crepitus is heard on palpation of the chest wall, and his pain worsens as…

Becoming less than human

Surgery rotations

3:30 am – Wake up. 4:00 am – Leave apartment. 4:15 am – Arrive at hospital. 4:20 am – Print out the patient list. 4:21 am – Split the list of 50 patients with your partner; go to a computer and write down every patient’s 24-hour vital signs, any reported fevers and what was done, what…