

The Skeptics Guide to Emergency Medicine
Dr. Ken Milne
Meet 'em, greet 'em, treat 'em and street 'em
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jul 12, 2025 • 26min
SGEM Xtra: Career Advice from Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Date: July 9, 2025 Guest Skeptics: Dr. Cindy Bitter is an Associate Professor in the Division of Emergency Medicine at Saint Louis University. She has a Master’s in Bioethics, and she is passionate about EM capacity building and physician resilience, especially improving wellness through time in nature. Dr. Amy Bi is a graduate from […]
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Jul 5, 2025 • 24min
SGEM #479: Light Em Up Up Up (CT) or Not for Pediatric Blunt Abdominal Trauma?
In this discussion, Dr. Sandi Angus, a passionate Paediatric and Adult Emergency Medicine Registrar, dives into the complexities of evaluating blunt abdominal trauma in children. They explore the critical balance between the risks of radiation from CT scans and the benefits of accurate diagnosis. The conversation highlights the PECARN rule for identifying low-risk patients and the challenges in interpreting injury risks from various symptoms. Join in as they uncover the intricacies of clinical decision-making in pediatric emergency care!

Jun 28, 2025 • 39min
SGEM#478: If I Were a Man: Sex-Based Disparities in the Treatment of STIs
Reference: Solnick et al. Sex Disparities in Chlamydia and Gonorrhea Treatment in US Adult Emergency Departments: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. AEM June 2025 Date: June 24, 2025 Guest Skeptic: Dr. Suchismita Datta. She is an Assistant Professor and Director of Research in the Department of Emergency Medicine at the NYU Grossman Long Island Hospital […]
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Jun 15, 2025 • 33min
SGEM#477: I Can Feel It Coming In the Air Tonight…But By Which Pre-Oxygenation Strategy
Reference: Ye et al. Preoxygenation strategies before intubation in patients with acute hypoxic respiratory failure: a network meta-analysis. Frontiers in Medicine. 2025 Feb Date: June 12, 2025 Guest Skeptic: Dr. Aine Yore is an Emergency Physician, practicing in the Seattle, Washington area for over twenty years. She is the former president of the Washington chapter […]
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Jun 7, 2025 • 24min
SGEM Xtra: Your Mission, Should You Choose to Accept It – To Be an EM Doc
Date: June 2, 2025 Guest Skeptic: Dr. Andrew (Andy) Tagg is an Emergency Physician with a special interest in education and lifelong learning. He is the co-founder and website lead of Don’t Forget the Bubbles. This is another SGEM Xtra that talks about what we can learn about being physicians from certain pop culture (TV […]
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Jun 1, 2025 • 37min
SGEM Xtra: Ten Lessons They Don’t Teach in Medical School (But Should)
Date: May 14, 2025 Guest Skeptic: Dr. Ross Prager is an Intensivist at the London Health Sciences Centre and an adjunct professor at Western University. His expertise in critical care medicine is complemented by his research interests in critical care ultrasound and evidence-based knowledge translation. This is an SGEM Xtra episode. The inspiration was a […]
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May 24, 2025 • 45min
SGEM#476: Cuts like a Knife or Antibiotics for Pediatric Appendicitis
Dr. Camille Wu, a leading pediatric surgeon at Sydney Children’s Hospital, delves into the contentious debate over treating pediatric appendicitis. She discusses the growing role of antibiotics versus traditional surgeries, citing recent studies on treatment efficacy. The dialogue touches on the complexities of diagnosis and management, including cultural differences in practices between Australia and the US. Additionally, the conversation highlights patient perspectives and the emotional considerations impacting treatment choices, urging a more personalized approach.

May 17, 2025 • 26min
SGEM#475: Break on Through to the Other Side – Management of Clinical Scaphoid Fractures
Dr. Matt Schmitz, an orthopedic surgeon specializing in adolescent sports medicine, shares insights on the management of scaphoid fractures. He discusses a clinical study showing that short-term bandaging can match traditional casting in effectiveness, challenging long-held practices. The conversation delves into biases in clinical trials and the importance of proper masking. Schmitz advocates for a more patient-centered approach, emphasizing selective immobilization for low-risk cases and the complexities of follow-up in treatment outcomes.

May 10, 2025 • 29min
SGEM Xtra: Doctor, Doctor – Paging Dr. Robby
Date: May 6, 2025 Guest Skeptic: Actor, producer and director Noah Wyle. Many of us know him as Dr. John Carter from ER, the show that arguably influenced an entire generation of EM physicians. Since that groundbreaking show, he has been busy with multiple movie roles (Pirates of Silicon Valley, Donnie Darko, White Oleander, Shot, and […]
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May 3, 2025 • 31min
SGEM#474: Help! Which Clinical Decision Aid should I use to Risk Stratify Febrile Infants?
Reference: Umana E, et al. Performance of clinical decision aids for the care of young febrile infants: A multicenter prospective cohort study. eClinicalMedicine Lancet December 2024 Date: March 6, 2025 Guest Skeptic: Dr. Demetris Athanasiou is a paediatric registrar based in London and enrolled in the PEM MSc program through Queen Mary University in London. Case: […]
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