Content and Accessibility of Surgical Critical Care Fellowship Websites in the United States.

BACKGROUND: Resident physicians are using the Internet to gather information about graduate medical education programs. The content of fellowship websites has been demonstrated to influence applicants' decisions. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the content of the surgical critical care fellowship (SCCF) program websites. METHODS: A list of Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma (EAST) and American Association for the Surgery of Trauma (AAST) SCCF programs was obtained, and compared to the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) list of accredited programs. The accessibility of each website was assessed through Google®. Content areas were assessed for each SCCF website. RESULTS: At the time of this study, 76 SCCF were listed on the EAST website and an additional 14 were supplied by the AAST database. 125 programs were listed in the ACGME database. Of the 76 SCCF listed by EAST, 44 (58%), 32 (42%), and 7 (9%) of SCCF programs had an EAST listing that was 3, 5, or 10 years or more out of date, respectively. Of the 90 SCCF programs listed on EAST or AAST sites, 36 programs (40%) had an inaccurate PD named on their listing. One hundred and nineteen of the 125 (95%) SCCF programs had websites accessible through Google®. Only 25 (20%) programs had a website containing a program description, faculty list, curriculum, and current/past fellows list. CONCLUSIONS: Many SCCF websites lacked information regarding program specifics. Valuable information for potential applicants was inadequate across SCCF websites.

Confronting system barriers for ST- elevation MI in low and middle income countries with a focus on India.

Our previous research found seven specific factors that cause system delays in ST-elevation Myocardial infarction management in developing countries. These delays, in conjunction with a lack of organized STEMI systems of care, result in inefficient processes to treat AMI in developing countries. In our present opinion paper, we have specifically explored the three most pertinent causes that afflict the seven specific factors responsible for system delays. In doing so, we incorporated a unique strategy of global STEMI expertise. With this methodology, the recommendations were provided by expert Indian cardiologist and final guidelines were drafted after comprehensive discussions by the entire group of submitting authors. We expect these recommendations to be utilitarian in improving STEMI care in developing countries.