MEM-EM: The Memorising Emergency Medicine Podcast

Executive Summary Specialty Learning Outcome (SLO) 10 of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine (RCEM) curriculum frames research not as an academic option, but as a core component of clinical excellence for the modern Emergency Medicine (EM) clinician. The fundamental goal is to transition trainees from passive consumers of evidence into active, proficient participants within the research ecosys...

Paediatric forearm fractures are the most common fractures in childhood, typically resulting from a fall on an outstretched hand. The unique properties of growing bone—including a thick, osteogenic periosteum and the presence of physes (growth plates)—result in distinct fracture patterns and a significant capacity for remodelling. Casting is the gold standard of care for the majority of these inju...

Executive Summary Specialist Learning Outcome (SLO) 9, "Support, supervise and educate," is a fundamental component of the 2021 Royal College of Emergency Medicine (RCEM) curriculum, marking the trainee's transition from a pure clinician to an integrated leader and educator [1]. Achieving competence in SLO 9 requires demonstrating the ability to safely delegate tasks, provide constru...

This episode provides an overview of the 5th Edition of the  Facing the Future: Standards for children and young people in emergency care , published in October 2025. The standards serve as an evidence-based resource for driving improvements in the quality and provision of emergency care for all individuals under 18 years of age (1, 12). The new edition addresses the significant pressures on the p...

Executive Summary Forearm Complexity:  "Simple" forearm fractures often harbour complex instability. Always image the  joint above and below  to rule out Monteggia (proximal) or Galeazzi (distal) fracture-dislocations. Paediatric Nuance:  Children are not just small adults.  Salter-Harris  classification determines prognosis.  Torus (buckle)  fractures are stable and require minimal inte...

Executive Summary This document provides a comprehensive synthesis of the core principles, strategic frameworks, and practical requirements for mastering the Royal College of Emergency Medicine (RCEM) Speciality Learning Outcome (SLO) 8, "Lead the ED Shift." Achievement of SLO 8 signifies the critical transition of a technically proficient clinician into a strategic system operator, capable of ens...

Executive Summary Emergency Department (ED) crowding is not an operational inconvenience but a persistent, state of active patient harm and a marker of systemic failure in health policy and leadership. It represents a significant threat to the timely and safe delivery of emergency care within the UK's National Health Service (NHS). This document synthesizes evidence and expert guidance to prov...

Executive Summary The effective management of organ dysfunction and failure is a cornerstone of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine. This briefing document outlines the essential knowledge and procedural steps for ACCS trainees to achieve competence and excel in this critical domain, corresponding to RCEM curriculum code ACCS LO 3 / SLO 1. Key takeaways include the imperative to recognize impendi...

Specialty Learning Outcome 7 (SLO 7), "Deal with complex and challenging situations in the workplace," is a continuous and mandatory component of Royal College of Emergency Medicine (RCEM) training, representing the pinnacle of professional competence for an Emergency Physician [1, 2]. Mastery of this outcome signifies a transition from a clinical proceduralist to an autonomous leader ca...

Executive Summary This briefing document provides a comprehensive guide for Acute Care Common Stem (ACCS) trainees in Emergency Medicine to achieve excellence in the learning outcome of providing safe basic anaesthetic care and procedural sedation. Mastery extends beyond pharmacology to encompass meticulous preparation, environmental optimization, airway stewardship, and human factors. Excellence...

This briefing synthesizes key guidance and curriculum requirements for performing invasive and high-risk procedures within the Emergency Department (ED). The Royal College of Emergency Medicine (RCEM) has issued a Best Practice Guideline (October 2023) to provide pragmatic recommendations for ED clinicians, adapting the national NatSSIPs 2 standards for the unique, time-critical environment of eme...

Executive Summary: Transitioning from Exposure to Entrustment This report details a best-practice, longitudinal roadmap designed for Emergency Medicine (EM) doctors in training to achieve Specialty Learning Outcome (SLO) 6: Deliver Key Procedural Skills, adhering rigorously to the RCEM 2021 curriculum and its assessment frameworks. The foundational strategic shift articulated within the 2021 curri...

Executive Summary: The Strategic Imperative of PEM Sub-Specialty Accreditation Paediatric Emergency Medicine (PEM) is formally recognised as a sub-specialty of both Emergency Medicine (EM) and Paediatrics in the United Kingdom.[1, 2] For Emergency Medicine trainees, pursuing PEM sub-specialty accreditation represents a critical professional choice that significantly enhances clinical capability an...

Hand injuries account for approximately 20% of all Emergency Department (ED) attendances in the UK. The complexity of hand anatomy means that seemingly minor surface wounds can mask debilitating injuries to tendons, nerves, or joints. Critical Takeaways: Position of Injury:  Wounds must be explored through the full range of motion (ROM) to detect retracted tendon injuries. Fight Bites:  Any lacera...

The Royal College of Emergency Medicine (RCEM) Specialty Learning Outcome 5 (SLO 5) defines the required competence for Emergency Medicine trainees in Paediatric Emergency Medicine (PEM). This outcome is comprehensive, demanding expertise in the care of children of all ages, across all stages of development, and explicitly including those with complex medical and social needs.[1] Achieving SLO 5 i...

Effective teamwork within high-acuity environments, such as the Emergency Department (ED) caring for critically unwell patients, necessitates a paradigm shift away from traditional, hierarchical models of interaction. While leadership is often lauded, organizational reliability critically depends on the quality of followership. The common societal perception often portrays followers as passive, we...

Executive Summary This document provides a comprehensive briefing on the assessment and management of "Silver Trauma"—significant injury in patients aged 65 and over. This patient demographic now constitutes the majority of major trauma cases in the UK, frequently presenting after low-energy falls (<2 metres). The core challenge lies in their diminished physiological reserve, multiple...

The Royal College of Emergency Medicine (RCEM) Specialty Learning Outcome (SLO) 4 mandates the capability to provide "Care for acutely injured patients across the full range of complexity." This outcome represents the fundamental role of the Emergency Physician in trauma care, demanding competence across the entire spectrum, from minor soft tissue injuries to complex, life-threatening po...

Functional Friday = A guided mental workout for your mind This episode focuses on the crisis resource management and human factors a trauma team leader needs to master for coordinated effective patient care of sick patients. The principles can be applied to team leading in all resus situations.

Effective team leadership in the high-stakes environment of an emergency department (ED) resuscitation bay is defined less by technical prowess and more by the mastery of non-technical skills. Crisis Resource Management (CRM), a discipline originating from the aviation industry, provides a robust framework of behavioural and cognitive skills designed to optimise team performance and mitigate human...

Specialty Learning Outcome 3 (SLO 3) is a pre-eminent component of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine (RCEM) 2021/2025 curriculum, defined as the ability to "Identify sick adult patients, resuscitate and stabilise, and know when it is appropriate to stop" . It represents the core clinical identity of an emergency physician, encompassing the management of the most time-critical and l...

This briefing synthesises the 2025 Royal College of Emergency Medicine (RCEM) standards for education and training, which aim to address significant challenges within the specialty, including high rates of burnout and attrition among trainees and trainers (1). The standards establish a framework for excellence, emphasising that high-quality patient care is inseparable from a positive learning envi...

Clinical Decision Rules (CDRs), also known as Clinical Decision Instruments (CDIs), are ubiquitous tools designed to standardise care, reduce low-value testing, and mitigate the effects of cognitive bias in the high-pressure environment of the Emergency Department (ED). Their value, however, is the subject of considerable debate among emergency medicine professionals. Proponents argue that CDRs ar...

This protocol provides a systematic, evidence-based framework for the assessment, diagnosis, and initial management of adult patients presenting to the Emergency Department (ED) with symptoms suggestive of Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS). It is intended for use by all emergency department clinicians within this NHS Trust to ensure a standardised, timely, and effective approach to a common and high-r...

This document outlines the framework and practical strategies for achieving the Royal College of Emergency Medicine (RCEM) Specialty Learning Outcome (SLO) 2:  Support the ED team by answering clinical questions and making safe decisions . SLO 2 requires Emergency Medicine (EM) clinicians to become expert decision-makers, proficient in diagnostic reasoning, the mitigation of cognitive error, and t...