Sydenham Chorea: Rare Consequence of Rheumatic Fever

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Integrating Education and Service in Pediatric Residency Training: Results of a National Survey.

OBJECTIVE: The definition and proper role of service, as it relates to education, in the residency training experience has been long debated. In this study we aimed to develop definitions for service and education, delineate how each is perceived to contribute value to training, and to measure respondents\u27 ratings of service and education using case vignettes. METHODS: We conducted a multisite cohort survey study of pediatric residents (n = 797) and program directors (PDs; n = 37) using a region-stratified sample of 2 to 3 participating pediatric residency programs per region. RESULTS: Surveys were completed by 34 PDs (92%) and 359 trainees (45%). PDs and residents agree that service can, in the absence of formal teaching, be considered educational. When asked how often rotations provide an appropriate balance between education and service, 94% of PDs responded \u27extremely/very often\u27 whereas only 68% of residents agreed (P = .005). Residents were significantly more likely than PDs to endorse definitions for service that included volunteer work (82% vs 59%; P = .002), going above and beyond for a patient (91% vs 78%; P = .017), and routine patient care activities (91% vs 72%; P \u3c .001). For 6 of 12 case vignettes, trainees gave median service ratings that were significantly higher than PDs (P = .03). CONCLUSIONS: Medical educators and pediatric residents hold mismatched impressions of their training programs\u27 balance of service obligations with clinical education. Specifically, residents more frequently report an overabundance of service. Both groups acknowledge that service activities can be educationally valuable although the groups\u27 definitions of service are not fully aligned

Using Focus Groups to Identify Characteristics of an Ideal Working Environment for Advanced Practice Clinicians

Advanced Practice Clinicians (APCs) in collaborative practice represent a diverse and valuable group of health care professionals, including nurse practitioners, physician assistants, nurse anesthetists, and nurse midwives. Because these healthcare professionals have been identified as part of the solution to physician shortages, it is critical for health networks to examine and address issues affecting collaborative relationships. We invited our network APCs to participate in focus group sessions to determine both attributes and barriers to an ideal work environment. Four major themes emerged: (1) compensation, (2) network representation, (3) employment structure, and (4) workplace culture. While issues relating to compensation and representation were prevalent, discussions also revealed the importance of relationships and communication. To ensure successful collaboration and, thereby, reduce clinician turnover, leaders must address gaps between the existing and ideal states in structural factors affecting job satisfaction (Themes 1-3) as well as the behavioral factors represented in workplace culture (Theme 4)

Neuroblastoma presenting as hip pain and skull prominence in a child

Neuroblastoma is a common cancer in children especially those under 5-years old, however they can have varied presentations that may make diagnosis difficult. Neuroblastoma is not usually high on a clinician’s differential for a child’s gait dysfunction. We describe a case of a 6-year-old female who presented to the Emergency Department for new onset right hip pain. She had associated gait disturbance and pain with ambulation as well as a new lump on her right parietal skull. An MRI of the brain, lumbar spine, and pelvis revealed the diagnosis of a left adrenal neuroblastoma that had metastasized to the femur, the lumbar spine, and the skull. This case shows the importance of early suspicion of malignancy in a patient with seemingly disparate symptoms to ensure early intervention