A one-week internal medicine procedure rotation designed to increase procedural opportunities and competency.

Background: Mounting literature describes increased procedure volume and improvement in procedural skills following implementation of procedural curricula and standardized rotations, generally requiring at least two weeks and incorporating dedicated lecture and didactic efforts. It is unknown whether shorter rotations that feature self-directed curricula can achieve similar outcomes.Methods: House staff participated in a one-week procedure rotation that coincided with preexisting non-clinical blocks ('jeopardy'). It provided an online curriculum as well as opportunities to perform procedures under interprofessional supervision. Inpatient procedure volumes were tallied before and after implementation of the rotation. During the first year of the rotation (academic year 2013-2014), house staff completed a knowledge-based quiz and a Likert-based survey (range 1-5) addressing confidence in performing procedures and satisfaction in procedural training. Results: Ninety-five of 99 house staff participated in the intervention (96% response rate). The total number of procedures performed by the Division of Hospital Medicine increased from an average of 74 per year over the four years prior to the introduction of the rotation to 291 per year during the third year of the rotation. The knowledge-based quiz score improved from a pre-intervention mean value of 50% to a post-intervention mean value of 61% (P = 0.020). Confidence in performing procedures improved from a pre-intervention mean value of 2.37 to a post-intervention mean value of 2.59 (P < 0.001). Satisfaction with procedural training improved from a pre-intervention mean value of 2.48 to a post-intervention mean value of 2.69 (P < 0.001).Conclusions: A one-week procedure rotation with a self-directed curriculum was introduced into the curriculum of an internal medicine residency program and was associated with increased procedure volume and sustained improvement in house staff knowledge, confidence, and satisfaction with procedural training.

Wide pulse pressure and Quincke's pulse in high-output heart failure.

A 74-year-old man with a history of chronic alcohol use presented with progressive exertional dyspnoea and weight gain. On physical examination, he was noted to have wide pulse pressure, elevated jugular venous pressure, and alternating flushing and blanching of the nail beds in concert with the cardiac cycle, known as Quincke's pulse. Transthoracic echocardiography demonstrated normal biventricular systolic function and valvular function, but noted a dilated inferior vena cava. Right heart catheterisation revealed elevated filling pressures, high cardiac output and low systemic vascular resistance, consistent with high-output heart failure. Whole blood concentration of thiamine was low, confirming the diagnosis of wet beriberi. The patient abstained from alcohol use and was started on thiamine replacement therapy, resulting in narrowing of the pulse pressure over time and complete resolution of symptoms without the need for diuretic therapy.

Arthritis-Dermatitis Syndrome: a Case of Disseminated Gonococcal Infection with Petechial Skin Rash.

A previously healthy 36-year-old woman was admitted to the hospital with vaginal discharge, bilateral ankle pain, and a lower extremity skin rash, all of which developed after unprotected vaginal intercourse with a new male partner. On examination, there was a petechial and purpuric rash involving the lower extremities and bilateral tenosynovitis of the ankle dorsiflexor tendons. Urine NAAT was positive for Neisseria gonorrhea, confirming disseminated gonococcal infection (DGI). The patient was initially treated with oral azithromycin and intravenous ceftriaxone, but as a result of psychosocial circumstances, she was prematurely discharged on an oral cephalosporin agent. She represented with treatment-failure DGI and was treated with a 7-day course of intramuscular ceftriaxone. Repeat urine NAAT was negative for gonorrhea and the patient remained asymptomatic. This case features an atypical cutaneous manifestation of DGI, characterized by a painless petechial and purpuric skin rash rather than the tender papulo-pustular lesions that are typically seen. Additionally, it highlights the importance of DGI treatment with a 7-day parenteral cephalosporin therapy when antibiotic susceptibility is not available.

Aseptic abscess syndrome.

A 43-year-old woman with Crohn's disease was admitted to the hospital with weight loss and 1 week of fever, abdominal pain and diarrhoea. At presentation, the patient was not on steroids or other immunosuppressive agents. Cross-sectional imaging of the abdomen revealed active colitis and multiple splenic and hepatic abscesses. All culture data were negative, including aspiration of purulent material from the spleen. Despite weeks of intravenous antibiotics, daily fever and abdominal pain persisted, the intra-abdominal abscesses grew, and she developed pleuritic chest pain and consolidations of the right lung. The patient was ultimately diagnosed with aseptic abscess syndrome, a rare sequelae of inflammatory bowel disease. All antimicrobials were discontinued and she was treated with high-dose intravenous steroids, resulting in rapid clinical improvement. She was transitioned to infliximab and azathioprine as an outpatient and repeat imaging demonstrated complete resolution of the deep abscesses that had involved her spleen, liver and lungs.

A 5-day intensive curriculum for interns utilizing simulation and active-learning techniques: addressing domains important across internal medicine practice.

OBJECTIVE: Simulation-based learning strategies have demonstrated improved procedural competency, teamwork skills, and acute patient management skills in learners. "Boot camp" curricula have shown immediate and delayed performance in surgical and medical residents. We created a 5-day intensive, simulation and active learning-based curriculum for internal medicine interns to address perceived gaps in cognitive, affective and psychomotor domains. Intern confidence and self-perceived competence was assessed via survey before and after the curriculum, along with qualitative data. RESULTS: A total of 33 interns completed the curriculum in 2014, 32 in 2015. Interns had a significant increase in confidence and self-perceived competence in procedural, cognitive and affective domains (all p values < .05).

Disseminated nocardiosis with infective endocarditis of a transplanted heart.

Nocardiosis is caused by various species of Nocardia and typically occurs as an opportunistic infection. It frequently disseminates, most often involving the lungs, subcutaneous tissues and central nervous system. It has rarely been reported to affect native heart valves. We report the case of a 64-year-old man with disseminated nocardiosis involving the brain, lungs, muscle and tricuspid valve of a transplanted heart. Following antimicrobial therapy, the patient improved clinically and there was no evidence of residual infection on follow-up imaging. This case highlights the presentation of nocardiosis, current therapeutic guidelines and the question of prophylaxis against Nocardia in immunocompromised patients.