I have had the “pleasure” of an interesting attending stretch – June 10 – July 9.  The new interns started Sunday June 24th. New 3rd year students started the next day.

The attending job changed dramatically in one day.  The June interns were ready for residency.  All the conversations occurred at a very high level.  We worked on some fine points of internal medicine to help them grow.

With new interns and students, it is back to basics.  We must assume very little, but we do have their attention.

So for the past 2 weeks we have stressed the basics. 

1. How do we manage pancreatitis?
2. What is the differential diagnosis of pancreatitis?
3. What complications do cirrhotic patients have and how do we treat them?
4. What is the illness script for community acquired pneumonia?
5. How do we assess severity for community acquired pneumonia?
6. What treatments work for systolic dysfunction?
7. What is a COPD exacerbation?

You get the idea.

This time of the year, but actually at all times, make certain that the team knows the basics.  We can always add in some spice as patients dictate.

But focus on the basics.  Your learners will grow faster when you do.