Michael S. Firstenberg

Stanislaw P. Stawicki

Medical education has undergone a substantial transformation from the traditional models of the basic classroom, laboratory, and bedside that existed up to the late 20th century. The focus of this text is to review the spectrum of topics that are essential to the training of 21st-century healthcare providers. Modern medical education goes beyond learning physiology, pathophysiology, anatomy, pharmacology, and how they apply to patient care. Contemporary medical education models incorporate multiple dimensions, including digital information management, social media platforms, effective teamwork, emotional and coping intelligence, simulation, as well as advanced tools for teaching both hard and soft skills. Furthermore, this book also evaluates the evolving paradigm of how teachers can teach and how students can learn – and how the system evaluates success.

Medical Education for the 21st Century

Thomas Papadimos

James P. Orlando

Graduate medical education (GME) continues its decades-long evolution. Evidence-based approaches are increasingly transforming the way we educate, evaluate, and promote GME trainees. Key to this transformation is our ability to recognize that “medical education” constitutes a true lifelong continuum, beginning with pre-medical education, then proceeding to medical school, residency (and potentially subsequent fellowship) training, and then finally the so-called maintenance of certification that continues throughout one’s entire professional career. This book explores a broad range of important topics, including the novel concept of “coping intelligence,” the important role of “work-life integration,” professional coaching and mentorship, professional development and career-long learning, patient-provider relationship, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on medical education, as well as the introduction of modern technologies to ameliorate the effects of social distancing. The book further discusses two important aspects of GME program management: the process of establishing new GME programs as well as the highly intricate process of merging residency programs. Different aspects and perspectives are incorporated, including those of residents, faculty, and program leadership. The book ends with chapters on diversity, equity and inclusion, and the importance of community-based medical education.

Volume 2

Contemporary Topics in Graduate Medical Education

Imran Khan

As the diagnostic and therapeutic tools for the management of complex cardiac valve disease continue to evolve, the options for patients who previously had few choices continue to expand. Such advances have resulted in a renaissance in how Heart Teams approach problems and have been able to engage patients in shared decision-making conversations towards a common goal. While opportunities exist in the management of physiologically challenging congenital heart disease, the vast explosion of research and development in the area of aortic valve disease has offered new hope to patients for improving their quality and quantity of life. The goal of this text is to hopefully serve as a foundation for those who want to explore such topics in greater detail.

Advances in Complex Valvular Disease

Andrew Miller

Sagar C. Galwankar

Since the publication of the first volume of Contemporary Developments and Perspectives in International Health Security, a lot has happened in this rapidly evolving area. Perhaps the most dominant global event of the past eighteen months is the COVID-19 pandemic. Within this general context, the importance of the multiple and diverse international health security (IHS) subdomains is becoming evident, especially when one begins to appreciate the interconnectedness of the modern world and the interdependence of various existing societal systems. Moreover, this complexity presents our civilization with both dangers and opportunities, and among the most pronounced opportunities is our ability to effectively “work together and coordinate” as humanity. With a goal to summarize and synthesize our collective experiences from the COVID-19 pandemic, this second tome of Contemporary Developments and Perspectives in International Health Security is a repository of knowledge and a practical resource for those who seek to learn about the current pandemic as well as for those who may already be preparing for the “next pandemic” or as yet unforeseen IHS threats. In addition to the COVID-19 global response, topics discussed in this book include climate change, mental health, supply chain management, and clinical diagnostics, among others.

Contemporary Developments and Perspectives in International Health Security

Giuseppe Rescigno

This textbook represents a short update on original aspects of heart failure. It covers topics of heart failure management such as prevention, drug monitoring after heart transplant, and the critical care approach. There are also chapters on less common facets of this syndrome such as prevalence and features in a specific African region and the complexity of telemedicine in heart failure. In summary, it will be a valid adjunct to more exhaustive textbooks already available.

Topics in Heart Failure Management

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) has evolved into an exciting and valuable tool to assist in the management of patients experiencing cardiogenic shock, severe acute respiratory failure, or often a combination of both. While outcomes remain less than ideal, they continue to improve with team experience, better patient selection, and a growing understanding of the nuances of managing patients who require mechanical circulatory support. Patients requiring ECMO are often extremely sick and have complex problems - initiating therapy before the development of end-organ damage is critical. Without doubt, teamwork, guidelines, and protocols are cornerstone concepts for clinical and program success - all topics that are emphasized in this text. The goals of this text are to further outline topics that help address some of the key challenges providers face when considering and applying extracorporeal support therapies to the evolving spectrum of acutely ill patients.

Advances in Extra-corporeal Perfusion Therapies

Endocarditis remains an elusive challenge for clinicians to master. As the population ages and their comorbidities increase, the risk of infecting cardiac structures - both native and, the ever-increasing use of, prosthetic support technology - also increases. In addition, the global epidemic of intravenous substance abuse has also resulted in a substantial increase in the number of infected patients. Fortunately, advances in the diagnostic testing, imaging, and recognition of the importance of a multidisciplinary management team have also contributed to advances in the care of these critically ill patients. Nevertheless, optimal therapies need to be individualized and considered in the ever-increasing body of scientific literature on this complex and difficult problem.

Contemporary Challenges in Endocarditis

It is clearly recognized that medical errors represent a significant source of preventable healthcare-related morbidity and mortality. Furthermore, evidence shows that such complications are often the result of a series of smaller errors, missed opportunities, poor communication, breakdowns in established guidelines or protocols, or system-based deficiencies. While such events often start with the misadventures of an individual, it is how such events are managed that can determine outcomes and hopefully prevent future adverse events. The goal of Vignettes in Patient Safety is to illustrate and discuss, in a clinically relevant format, examples in which evidence-based approaches to patient care, using established methodologies to develop highly functional multidisciplinary teams, can help foster an institutional culture of patient safety and high-quality care delivery.

Vignettes in Patient Safety

Advanced Concepts in Endocarditis

One of the most important advances in the delivery of healthcare has been recognition of the need for developing highly functioning multi-disciplinary teams. Such teams, when structured in a cohesive fashion, can function more effectively and efficiently than the sum of their parts. The benefits of teamwork extend from the delivery of care to a single patient to the overall structure and function of entire care delivery systems. Recognizing the value of collaborative approaches for improving all aspects of healthcare delivery and having champions, leaders, structure, function, goals, and accountability are paramount to success, regardless of how defined. Another important pillar of teamwork is excellent communication with clearly defined information flows and cross-verification mechanisms. This book outlines how to work together for shared goals in a complex, diverse, and constantly evolving health care system.

Michael S. Firstenberg

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