The First10EM monthly wrap up is a place for me to share updates about the website, about my academic life, and also interesting content, such as books, podcasts, and other FOAMed, that I have encountered in the prior month. Obviously the format means the focus is mostly on content I have found, but I hope the community gets engaged in the comments, sharing books, podcasts, FOAMed, or anything else that you think would benefit or delight the broader emergency medicine community.

I was at the North York General Emergency Medicine Update conference this month, which is always a great time. I recorded versions of my two talks RSI and then they die and a 2024 literature update so you can watch them even if you werent at the conference:

There were a few more videos added to the First10EM YouTube channel, which is really starting to take off, so make sure to subscribe if you havent.

Managing the bleeding tracheostomy

Oral antibiotics are better than IV

You MUST know how to perform Delayed Sequence Intubation

Not exactly high end fiction, but Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros has dragons and magic, and feels a little like a melding of Hunger Games and Game of Thrones? The sex scenes might be a little smutty for some peoples taste, and the story lacks the rich politics and deeper themes of truly great fantasy novels, but if you just want a fun page turner about a young woman trying to survive magic dragon school, you will probably enjoy this.

And yes, Fourth Wing was good enough that I did read the sequel, Iron Flame, immediately afterwards. It is a trilogy, and the third book isnt out yet. That has really burned me before (I am still desperately waiting for book 3 of the The Kingkiller Chronicle 13 years after finishing the second book), so maybe be cautious if you dont like picking up unfinished sagas.

The politics of intolerance based around anthropomorphized rabbits? If that sounds like your cup of tea, then The Constant Rabbit by Jasper Fforde was a decent and somewhat humorous novel.

I might have suggested it before, but I was re-reading some chapters of Nasty, Brutish, and Short: Adventures in Philosophy with My Kids, and it is a really enjoyable and approachable book on philosophy.

I was a really busy month, so I spent very little time in the general media and FOAMed realm, but I would like to change that for next month, so if there are great podcasts, YouTube videos, or FOAMed that was recently published, please share it in the comments, so everyone can enjoy.

One of the few posts I did read was by Liz Crowe (so you know it is brilliant) on St Emlyns discussing Choosing with Intention.

I also relearned a lot of little things about physics in this Steve Mould video looking at a flame that is dark or absorbing light.

I would love some peoples thoughts on this: If potential knowledge is unlimited, but human life is distinctly limited, is the pursuit of knowledge pointless or problematic in some way? (Probably very poorly paraphrased from a number of Taoist texts. I believe the most common translation is perilous, but I am not sure what that means for my practical approach to life.)

In many ways, this adage seems antithetical to the way I lead my life. I find it interesting, and as long as one does not over-interpret it to the point of nihilism, it probably contains an important lesson. But I would really love to hear peoples thoughts.

Two men come to visit a Zen teacher to inquire about moving to his village.

The first man enters and says, I am thinking of moving to this village, how is it here? The teacher replies, Well, how is your current village? The man responds, Its terrible, I hate it there. The Zen teacher answers, This village is the same, you wont like it.

The second man enters and says, I am thinking of moving to this village, how is it here? The teacher replies, Well, how is your current village? The man responds, Its wonderful, I love it there. The Zen teacher answers, This village is the same, you will like it.

There is no such thing as philosophy free science, just science that has been conducted without any consideration of its underlying philosophical assumptions. Daniel Dennett

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The First10EM monthly wrap-up for May 2024 - First10EM