
Always On EM - Mayo Clinic Emergency Medicine
Hosts, Alex Finch, MD and Venk Bellamkonda, MD explore topics relevant to the practice, education or research of emergency medicine. Enjoy interviews with people on the front lines, thought leaders from around the world, and the comedy and drama of life when it intersects with emergency care.
Follow us on X: @AlwaysOnEM
Email: AlwaysOnEM@gmail.com
Latest episodes

Jan 15, 2025 • 1h 11min
Grand Rounds - Dr. Lekshmi Kumar - Response to Recovery; Elevating trauma care with prehospital blood transfusions
Dr. Lekshmi Kumar, Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine at Emory University / Grady Hospital system in Atlanta, Georgia and the EMS director or the city of Atlanta presents grand rounds to kick off the 2025 calendar year! She talks about their collaborative work to create a prehospital blood transfusion program to uplift the trauma care in their region. Tune in to learn about the method for handling the change, the specifics for implementation and to learn the difference that this is making for their patients.
CONTACTS
X - @AlwaysOnEM; @VenkBellamkonda
YouTube - @AlwaysOnEM; @VenkBellamkonda
Instagram – @AlwaysOnEM; @Venk_like_vancomycin; @ASFinch
Email - AlwaysOnEM@gmail.com

Jan 1, 2025 • 1h 35min
Chapter 39 - Unbreak My Heart - Decompensation in a Person with Aortic Stenosis
Dr. Trina Augustin, assistant professor of both anesthesiology and perioperative medicine as well as emergency medicine takes us on a deep dive into the care of persons with aortic stenosis. In this chapter, Alex and Venk learn about how to use ultrasound to diagnose AS, the keys to resuscitation, the pathophysiology of this condition, as well as the value of consultative services and the potential interventions that they may unlock for these patients. Kickoff season 4 with this in depth reminder that sometimes the heart has many hidden perils beyond ACS.
CONTACTS
X - @AlwaysOnEM; @VenkBellamkonda
YouTube - @AlwaysOnEM; @VenkBellamkonda
Instagram – @AlwaysOnEM; @Venk_like_vancomycin; @ASFinch; @KatrinaJoyAugustin
Email - AlwaysOnEM@gmail.com
REFERENCES & LINKS
Lichtenstein DA, Meziere GA. Relevance of Lung Ultrasound in the Diagnosis of Acute Respiratory Failure. Chest 2008; 134:117-125
Walsh MH, Smyth LM, Desy JR, Fischer EA, Goffi A, Li N, Lee M, St-Pierre J, Ma IWY. Lung Ultrasound: A Comparison of image interpretation accuracy between curvillinear and phased array transducers. Australia J Ultrasound Med, 26:150-156
Alzahrani H, Woo MY, Johnson C, Pageau P, Millington S, Thiruganasambandamoorthy V. Can severe aortic stenosis be identified by emergency physicians when interpreting a simplified two-view echocardiogram obtained by trained echocardiographers? Crit Ultrasound J. 2015 Apr 18;7:5. doi: 10.1186/s13089-015-0022-8. PMID: 25932319; PMCID: PMC4409610.
Furukawa A, Abe Y, Morizane A, Miyaji T, Hosogi S, Ito H. Simple echocardiographic scoring in screening aortic stenosis with focused cardiac ultrasonography in the emergency department. J Cardiol. 2021 Jun;77(6):613-619. doi: 10.1016/j.jjcc.2020.12.006. Epub 2020 Dec 29. PMID: 33386216.
Lin J, Drapkin J, Likourezos A, Giakoumatos E, Schachter M, Sarkis JP, Moskovits M, Haines L, Dickman E. Emergency physician bedside echocardiographic identification of left ventricular diastolic dysfunction. American Journal of Emergency medicine
Ehrman RR, Russell FM, Ansari AH, Margeta B, Clary JM, Christian E, Cosby KS, Bailitz J. Can emergency physicians diagnose and correctly classify diastolic dysfunction using bedside echocardiography? Am J Emerg Med. 2015 Sep;33(9):1178-83. doi: 10.1016/j.ajem.2015.05.013. Epub 2015 May 21. PMID: 26058890.2021;44:20-25
Del Rios M, Colla J, Kotini-Shah P, Briller J, Gerber B, Prendergast H. Emergency physician use of tissue Doppler bedside echocardiography in detecting diastolic dysfunction: an exploratory study. Crit Ultrasound J. 2018 Jan 25;10(1):4. doi: 10.1186/s13089-018-0084-5. PMID: 29372430; PMCID: PMC5785451.
Thiele H, Zeymer U, Neumann FJ, Ferenc M, Olbrich HG, Hausleiter J, de Waha A, Richardt G, Hennersdorf M, Empen K, Fuernau G, Desch S, Eitel I, Hambrecht R, Lauer B, Böhm M, Ebelt H, Schneider S, Werdan K, Schuler G; Intraaortic Balloon Pump in cardiogenic shock II (IABP-SHOCK II) trial investigators. Intra-aortic balloon counterpulsation in acute myocardial infarction complicated by cardiogenic shock (IABP-SHOCK II): final 12 month results of a randomised, open-label trial. Lancet. 2013 Nov 16;382(9905):1638-45. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(13)61783-3. Epub 2013 Sep 3. PMID: 24011548.
Aksoy O, Yousefzai R, Singh D, Agarwal S, O'Brien B, Griffin BP, Kapadia SR, Tuzcu ME, Penn MS, Nissen SE, Menon V. Cardiogenic shock in the setting of severe aortic stenosis: role of intra-aortic balloon pump support. Heart. 2011 May;97(10):838-43. doi: 10.1136/hrt.2010.206367. Epub 2010 Oct 20. PMID: 20962337.
Karatolios K, Chatzis G, Luesebrink U, Markus B, Ahrens H, Tousoulis D, Schieffer B. Impella support following emergency percutaneous balloon aortic valvuloplasty in patients with severe aortic valve stenosis and cardiogenic shock. Hellenic J Cardiol. 2019 May-Jun;60(3):178-181. doi: 10.1016/j.hjc.2018.02.008. Epub 2018 Mar 21. PMID: 29571667.
Gottlieb M, Long B, Koyfman A. Evaluation and Management of Aortic Stenosis for the Emergency Clinician: An Evidence-Based Review of the Literature. J Emerg Med. 2018 Jul;55(1):34-41. doi: 10.1016/j.jemermed.2018.01.026. Epub 2018 Mar 7. PMID: 29525246.

Dec 14, 2024 • 44min
Grand Rounds - Dr. Adiba Matin - Climate Change and Emergency Medicine
In this final episode of the third season of the Always on EM podcast, we share a grand rounds recording of Dr. Adiba Matin, former resident at Mayo Clinic giving her senior capstone presentation on climate change and emergency medicine. In this visionary presentation, she projects physiologic consequences of the climate change on human health, as well as discusses adaptations for clinical practices, highlights how environmental change might impact social determinants of health, and touches on ways to become advocates for climate protective practices. Close out the new year with the hottest presentation in the grand rounds offerings so far!

Dec 1, 2024 • 1h 2min
Chapter 38 - Appendicitis strikes back: Next level diagnosis, myths, and management Appendicitis in the ED
Dr. David Turay, trauma consultant physician at Mayo Clinic, sits down with Alex and Venk to talk about appendicitis! Have you wondered about ultrasound vs CT imaging? antibiotics only vs operative care? what labs to order? we will go over it in this chapter of Always on EM!
CONTACTS
X - @AlwaysOnEM; @VenkBellamkonda
YouTube - @AlwaysOnEM; @VenkBellamkonda
Instagram – @AlwaysOnEM; @Venk_like_vancomycin; @ASFinch
Email - AlwaysOnEM@gmail.com
REFERENCES & LINKS
2013 British Journal of Surgery - C-W Yu, Systematic reivew and meta-analysis of the diagnostic accuracy of procalcitonin, C-reactive protein, and white blood cell count for suspected acute appendicitis

Nov 14, 2024 • 60min
Chapter 37.5 - Nonaccidental trauma in children, part two.
Dr. Mark Mannenbach, emeritus pediatric emergency physician, former chairperson of pediatric emergency medicine at Mayo Clinic and career long advocate for children comes back on the show to talk through nonaccidental trauma in children in a two part series.
In this second part, we talk through mimics of abuse, second victim syndrome related to caring for children of abuse, some aspects of neglect, and more.
CONTACTS
x- @AlwaysonEM; @VenkBellamkonda
YouTube - @AlwaysonEM; @VenkBellamkonda
Instagram - @AlwaysonEM; @Venk_like_vancomycin; @ASFinch
Email - AlwaysonEM@gmail.com
REFERENCES
1. Sugar NF, Taylor JA, Feldman KW. Bruises in infants and toddlers: those who don't cruise rarely bruise. Puget Sound Pediatric Research Network. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 1999 Apr; 153(4):399-403

Nov 1, 2024 • 1h 21min
Chapter 37 - Nonaccidental trauma in children, part one.
Dr. Mark Mannenbach, emeritus pediatric emergency physician, former chairperson of pediatric emergency medicine at Mayo Clinic and career long advocate for children comes back on the show to talk through nonaccidental trauma in children in a two part series.
In this first part, we talk through the approach to sharing the concern that you have with the family, keys to the physical examination, the role of additional testing such as serum, urine, and radiograph.
CONTACTS
x- @AlwaysonEM; @VenkBellamkonda
YouTube - @AlwaysonEM; @VenkBellamkonda
Instagram - @AlwaysonEM; @Venk_like_vancomycin; @ASFinch
Email - AlwaysonEM@gmail.com

Oct 14, 2024 • 49min
Chapter 36 - The Butterfly Effect - Principles of Supply Chain Management
Dr. Pritish Tosh, consultant physician in Infectious Diseases, and Supply Chain Management specialist for Mayo Clinic talks through the relationship between our clinical delivery of care and the strength of our supply chain practices. Our recent experiences with facemasks in the pandemic, the daily threats to medication access, and the events of recent longshoreman strike as well as Hurricane Helene damage to saline production locations has shown us how valuable it is to understand our supply chain. In this chapter, Alex and Venk, get schooled on the importance of this understanding, the basics of how to assess the stability of supply chain, and how to be advocates for a healthy supply chain infrastructure moving forward.
CONTACTS
X - @AlwaysOnEM; @VenkBellamkonda
YouTube - @AlwaysOnEM; @VenkBellamkonda
Instagram – @AlwaysOnEM; @Venk_like_vancomycin; @ASFinch
Email - AlwaysOnEM@gmail.com
REFERENCES & LINKS
Tosh PK, Schafer JM, Harvieux TP, Hall BL. Medical Supply Shortages - We are part of the problem...and solution. Mayo Clin Proc. 2023 Dec; 98(12):1763-1766Associated Press. (2024, October 1). US port strike: Over 45,000 dockworkers from Maine to Texas hit picket lines. AP News. Retrieved from https://apnews.com/article/port-strike-ila-dockworkers-begins-e5468e760f46a64e4322d1702beb1f72[1](https://apnews.com/article/port-strike-ila-dockworkers-begins-e5468e760f46a64e4322d1702beb1f72).
Harris, R. (2018, March 31). Why did sterile salt water become the IV fluid of choice? NPR. Retrieved from https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2018/03/31/597666140/why-did-sterile-salt-water-become-the-iv-fluid-of-choice[1](https://www.mybib.com/tools/apa-citation-generator).
WANT TO WORK AT MAYO?
EM Physicians: https://jobs.mayoclinic.org/emergencymedicine
EM NP PAs: https://jobs.mayoclinic.org/em-nppa-jobs
Nursing/Techs/PAC: https://jobs.mayoclinic.org/Nursing-Emergency-Medicine
EMTs/Paramedics: https://jobs.mayoclinic.org/ambulanceservice
All groups above combined into one link: https://jobs.mayoclinic.org/EM-Jobs

Oct 1, 2024 • 1h 14min
Chapter 35 - Diffusing the fuse - Violence in the emergency department
Dr. Sarayna McGuire is an emergency physician who has been investigating workplace violence in the ED and in the prehospital setting. She and Dr. Casey Clements, who is the chief safety officer for Rochester Mayo Clinic campus talk with Venk and Alex about the violence in the emergency department. The scope of the problem is staggering, the impact ripples broadly into the community, and we all have the opportunity to intervene and change the trajectory of how life unfolds – learn the what, the why, and the how in this cant-miss chapter of Always on EM
CONTACTS
X - @AlwaysOnEM; @VenkBellamkonda;
YouTube - @AlwaysOnEM; @VenkBellamkonda
Instagram – @AlwaysOnEM; @Venk_like_vancomycin; @ASFinch
LinkedIn - Sarayna McGuire
Email - AlwaysOnEM@gmail.com
REFERENCES & LINKS
Pompeii LA, Schoenfisch AL, Lipscomb HJ, Dement JM, Smith CD, Upadhyaya M. Physical assault, physical threat, and verbal abuse perpetrated against hospital workers by patients or visitors in six U.S. hospitals. Am J Ind Med. 2015 Nov;58(11):1194-204
McGuire SS, Finley JL, Gazley BF, Mullan AF, Clements CM. The team is not okay: Violence in emergency departments across disciplines in a health system. West J Emerg Med. 2023 Feb 1;24(2):169-177
Speroni KG, Fitch T, Dawson E, Dugan L, Atherton M. Incidence and cost of nurse workplace violence perpetrated by hospital patients or patient visitors. J Emerg Nurs. 2014 May;40(3):218-28
McGuire SS, Mullan AF, Clements CM. Unheard victims: multidisciplinary incidence and reporting of violence in an emergency department. West J Emerg Med. 2021 May 7;22(3):702-709
WANT TO WORK AT MAYO?
EM Physicians: https://jobs.mayoclinic.org/emergencymedicine
EM NP PAs: https://jobs.mayoclinic.org/em-nppa-jobs
Nursing/Techs/PAC: https://jobs.mayoclinic.org/Nursing-Emergency-Medicine
EMTs/Paramedics: https://jobs.mayoclinic.org/ambulanceservice
All groups above combined into one link: https://jobs.mayoclinic.org/EM-Jobs

Sep 14, 2024 • 1h 7min
Grand Rounds - Dr. Samit Shah - Seeing the invisible: Angina and Nonobstructive Coronary Arteries (ANOCA)
Ischemic heart disease is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality. While atherosclerotic coronary artery disease (CAD) is the focus of most outpatient and inpatient evaluations for cardiovascular symptoms, up to two thirds of patients suffer from myocardial ischemia with non-obstructive coronary arteries (INOCA). Patients with INOCA have unique symptoms and are more likely to have functional limitation and repeat presentations for cardiovascular evaluation. While there has been increasing recognition of INOCA there is no specific functional status measure, limiting our ability to evaluate the course of illness or effectiveness of therapies. In this presentation, Dr. Samit Shah, interventional cardiologist at Yale New Haven Hospital who recently gave grand rounds recently to the Mayo Clinic Department of Emergency Medicine, reviews the causes of ischemic heart disease, challenges with current symptom assessment, and proposes a new path for better diagnosis and treatment of heart disease.
CONTACTS
X - @AlwaysOnEM; @VenkBellamkonda; @SamitShahMD
YouTube - @AlwaysOnEM; @VenkBellamkonda
Instagram – @AlwaysOnEM; @Venk_like_vancomycin; @ASFinch
Email - AlwaysOnEM@gmail.com

Sep 1, 2024 • 1h 30min
Chapter 34 - Gyne Logic on Gynecologic Emergencies - Discussion about PID, Torsion, Ectopic and more
Dr. Adela Cope breaks down pelvic inflammatory disease, tubo-ovarian abscess, ovarian torsion, ectopic pregnancy and more in this densely packed chapter of Always on EM. Tune in as Alex and Venk also try to figure out which one has the correct mental model of PID and who will ask the first stupid question.
CONTACTS
X - @AlwaysOnEM; @VenkBellamkonda
YouTube - @AlwaysOnEM; @VenkBellamkonda
Instagram – @AlwaysOnEM; @Venk_like_vancomycin; @ASFinch
Email - AlwaysOnEM@gmail.com
LEARN MORE ABOUT RESIDENCY:
https://youtu.be/gCQ0zimhhhY?si=NpsyTruGM9N_UpVM
https://college.mayo.edu/academics/residencies-and-fellowships/emergency-medicine-residency-minnesota/
REFERENCES:
Williams T, Mortada R, Porter S. Diagnosis and Treatment of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome. Am Fam Physician. 2016;94(2):106-113
Rutz M, Boulger C. Early Pregnancy. Sonoguide - American College of Emergency Physicians. Accessed 8/20/2024 (https://www.acep.org/sonoguide/basic/early-pregnancy)
Rodgers SK, et al. A lexicon for first-trimester US: Society of radiologists in ultrasound consensus conference recommendations. Radiology. 2024; 312(2):e240122
Kreisel K, Flagg EW, Torrone E. Trends in pelic inflammatory disease emergnecy department visits, United STates, 2006-2013. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2018;218:117e1-e10
Adhikari S, Blaivas M, Lyon M. Role of bedside transvaginal ultrasonography in the diagnosis of tubo-ovarian abscess in the emergency department. JEM 2008. 34(4):429-433
Mohseni M, Simon LV, Sheele JM. Epidemiologic and clinical characteristics of tubo-ovarian abscess, hydrosalpinx, pyosalpinx, and oophoritis in emergency department patients. Cureus. 2020;12(11):e11647
CDC sexually transmitted infections treatment guidelines, 2021 - Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) accessed 8-20-24
Linden JA. et al. Is the pelvic examination still crucial in patients presenting to the emergency department with vaginal bleeding or abdominal pain when an intrauterine pregnancy is identified on ultrasonography? A randomized tli. Annals of Emerg Med 2017(70):825-834
Stein JC, et al. Emergency physician ultrasonography for evaluating patients at risk for ectopic pregnancy: A Meta-Analysis. Annals of Emerg Med. 2010;56:674-683
Robertson JJ, Long B, Koyfman A. Emergency Medicine Myths: Ectopic pregnancy, evaluation, risk factors, and presentation. JEM. 2017(53)6819-828
Brown J, Fleming R, Aristizabal J, Rocksolana G. Does pelvic exam in the emergency department add useful information? West J Emerg Med. 2011;12(2):208-212
Lee R, Dupuis C, Chen B, Smith A, Kim YH. Diagnosing ectopic pregnancy in the emergency setting. Ultrasonography. 2018;37:78-87