
CanadiEM Podcasts: CRACKCast, ClerkCast, CarmsCast, First Year Diaries
CanadiEM aims to improve emergency care in Canada by building an online community of practice for healthcare practitioners and providing them with high quality, freely available educational resources. Our podcasts are found on this channel and include:
CRACKCast (Core Rosen's and Clinical Knowledge) helps residents to "Turn on their learn on" through podcasts that assist with exam prep by covering essential core content.
ClerkCast: A podcast focused on clinical clerks and their time in emergency medicine. It provides an overview of key topics that help you to rock your EM rotations.
First Year Diaries: A podcast focused on the first year of independent clinical practice in emergency medicine and all of its trials and tribulations.
Physicians as Humans explores the struggles that physicians face and how they have overcome them. From addictions, mental health issues, and all manner of personal crises will be discussed to help let those who are currently struggling know that they are not alone.
Latest episodes

Jan 4, 2021 • 28min
CRACKCast E221 - Acute Pelvic Pain
Core Questions Outline the anatomic contents of the female pelvis. Describe an approach to the history in a patient with acute pelvic pain. Describe an approach to the physical examination in the patient with acute pelvic pain. List 10 differential diagnoses for the patient presenting with acute pelvic pain. (Box 30.1) Outline an approach to ancillary testing for the patient presenting with acute pelvic pain. What must be seen on bedside ultrasound to confirm a definitive intrauterine pregnancy (IUP)? Wisecracks What is the incidence of domestic violence in patients presenting with pelvic pain? What is the incidence of heterotopic pregnancy in the general population and in those that have conceived using reproductive technology? Under what circumstances can a pelvic examination be omitted in a patient presenting to the ED with acute pelvic pain? What is the classic triad of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)?

Dec 18, 2020 • 45min
CarmsCast E02: Program Networking & Personal Letters
In this week’s episode, we are covering how to get to know more about programs and give you some quick pointers on how to create your personal letters! Here to help us tackle this topic is our guest: Dr. Pardhan! Dr. Kaif Pardhan is an emergency medicine physician and Deputy Chief of the ED at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in Toronto. He serves as the Assistant Program Director for the University of Toronto’s emergency medicine residency program. He also works as a pediatric emergency physician at McMaster Children’s Hospital in Hamilton. Click Here for more information about today's episode.

Dec 14, 2020 • 39min
ClerkCast Episode 5 - Pediatric Fever
In this episode of Clerkcast Lauren and Ben are teaming up with Dr. Kaif Pardhan to cover an approach to pediatric fever.
Dec 10, 2020 • 17min
Physician Passion Projects E01
This episode is the first of the Physician Passion Projects series, a podcast focused on highlighting Canadian EM physicians' work outside of clinical medicine.

Dec 7, 2020 • 32min
CRACKCast E220 - Constipation
Core Questions List risk factors for constipation . List 10 causes of constipation (Box 29.1). Describe an approach to the history and physical exam of the constipated patient. What ancillary testing should and should not be ordered in constipation? Describe an approach to management of constipation in the ED (figure 29.1) . Describe 5 classes of laxative agents. List the lifestyle changes that constipation patients should be counselled about. Wisecracks List 5 medications that can cause constipation. What agents can be considered in refractory opioid-induced constipation? Describe the mechanism of action of PEG 3350. Describe the mechanism of overflow incontinence.

Nov 3, 2020 • 44min
CRACKCast E219 - Diarrhea
Core Questions Define diarrhea. Outline the pathophysiologic processes that result in diarrhea. List 10 infectious causes of diarrhea. - Box 28.1 List 10 non-infectious causes of diarrhea. - Box 28.2 Outline 5 important aspects of a patient’s history to elucidate in cases of diarrhea. Detail an approach to laboratory testing in the patient with diarrhea. When are empiric antibiotics indicated for the treatment of diarrheal illnesses? Wisecracks What antibiotics are most commonly implicated with precipitating C.difficile diarrhea? What factors increase the probability of non-benign diarrheal illness? Outline the constituent ingredients contained within the World Health Organization’s rehydration formula. What is the BRAT diet and why is it recommended in patients with acute diarrheal illnesses?

Oct 26, 2020 • 39min
CarmsCast E01: Preparing For Emergency Medicine Electives
In today’s episode, we cover how to prepare for your upcoming emergency medicine elective and how best to ask for that coveted reference letter. Helping us navigate this subject is our expert guest Dr. Brent Thoma. Dr. Thoma works clinically as a trauma and emergency medicine physician. Academically, he studies technology-enhanced medical education and works for the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada as a Clinician Educator. He is also the CEO of CanadiEM. Click here for resources mentioned in today's episode.

Oct 5, 2020 • 28min
CRACKCast E218 - Gastrointestinal Bleeding
Core Questions Define upper gastrointestinal versus lower gastrointestinal bleeding and differentiate between the two based on anatomic location Outline an approach to the history and physical examination for the patient with complaints consistent with GIB.- Box 27.3 List 5 causes of UGI bleeding and 5 causes of LGI bleeding- Table 27.1 Outline six alternative diagnoses or mimics of GI bleeding - Box 27.1 List five characteristics of patients with high-risk GI bleeds - Box 27.2 Describe an approach to ancillary testing in the patient with GI bleeding. List five substances that when ingested, can result in a falsely-positive stool guaiac study Outline an approach to the management of the patient with GI bleeding - Fig 27.3 Detail the Blatchford and Clinical Rockall Risk Scores - Tables 27.3/27.4 Wisecracks Outline the three most common causes of UGIB in pediatric and adult patients. Outline the three most common causes of LGIB in pediatric and adult patients. What percentage of patients presenting with hematochezia actually have an UGIB? What volume of blood loss is needed to produce symptoms of anemia in the patient with an acute/subacute GI bleed?

Sep 8, 2020 • 29min
CRACKCast E217- Nausea and Vomiting
Core Questions Define the following terms: Nausea Retching Vomiting Outline the neural pathway regulating nausea and vomiting. List 6 potential sequelae of vomiting. Outline an approach to the history in the patient complaining of nausea and vomiting. Outline an approach to the physical exam in the nauseated and/or vomiting patient. List 10 differential diagnoses for the vomiting patient. What ancillary tests are indicated in the patient with nausea and/or vomiting? List five antiemetics that can be used to treat the nauseous and vomiting patient. Wisecracks What are the three phases of vomiting? What is Hamman’s Sign and what pathology does it point to? What medication is indicated in the patient with intractable chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting.

Aug 10, 2020 • 23min
Danger Zone E01 - Surgical Airway
In this episode of Danger Zone, our hosts examine a relatively rare procedure performed in the ED – the Surgical Airway! They discuss indications, procedural considerations, and important clinical pearls.