Surgery 101

In this episode, Thoracic Surgeon Dr. Simon Turner discusses Dysphagia and Achalasia. Dysphagia, or difficulty swallowing, is a common presenting complaint to both primary care physicians and surgeons. Patients may mean several different things when they complain of trouble swallowing, and accordingly the differential diagnosis is large and includes both benign and malignant causes. For these reasons its important to have an organized approach to working up a patient with swallowing complaints that can help to efficiently focus investigations and treatment. This podcast will focus on the surgically treated causes of dysphagia and will discuss in depth one of the more common causes, a disease called achalasia. The objectives include the: Surgically treated causes of dysphagia Achalasia

In this episode, Thoracic Surgeon Dr. Simon Turner discusses GERD and Barrett’s Esophagus. Gastro-esophageal reflux disease, or GERD is one of the most common problems encountered by primary care physicians. It is the number 1 outpatient GI related complaint, and of all the patients with chest pain who have a negative work-up for angina, 50% have symptoms due to GERD. In addition to being common, GERD can also be quite serious, with the potential for debilitating symptoms, severe complications and even a risk of cancer. The objectives include the: Presentation Diagnosis Management Complications including Barrett’s Esophagus

In this episode, Thoracic Surgeon Dr. Simon Turner discusses Lung Cancer. Lung cancer is the most common cancer worldwide and is the number 1 killer of all cancers. Most patients diagnosed with lung cancer will die of their disease within just a few years, however, with more knowledge about its presentation, screening, diagnosis and treatment, lung cancer can often be identified at a curable stage. This podcast will give the listener the basic facts needed to understand this complex disease in the hopes of giving patients the best chance for a good outcome. The objectives include the: Risk Factors Presentation Screening Diagnosis and treatment

 In this episode, Thoracic Surgeon Dr. Simon Turner discusses Mediastinal Masses. Imagine that you’ve ordered a chest x-ray on a patient of yours with shortness of breath. When you look at the x-ray the lungs look normal, but you notice to your surprise that the mediastinum looks quite abnormal. You speak with a radiologist who confirms your suspicions that your patient has a widened mediastinum and a probable mediastinal mass. What is the differential diagnosis of this x-ray finding and what should be done about it? Because mediastinal masses are not infrequently found incidentally on chest x-rays, every physician should have some basic knowledge about these lesions. The objectives include the: Anatomy of the mediastinum Differential diagnosis of mediastinal masses Approach to work-up and treatment of these legions

In this episode, Thoracic Surgeon Dr. Simon Turner discusses Solitary Pulmonary Nodule. This podcast was written in large part by Dr. Keerit Tauh, a graduate of the University of Alberta medical school and currently a cardiac surgery resident at the University of British Columbia.   The objectives include the:   • Definition • Classification and differential diagnosis • Approach to diagnosis and management of these lesions

In this episode, Thoracic Surgeon Dr. Simon Turner discusses Esophageal cancer. In this episode Dr. Turner will describe: The presentations of esophageal cancer Diagnosis and most common types of esophageal cancer The different stages and treatment options

This week resident Danica Kindrachuk talks about Post-Operative Pain. After listening to the podcast learners will be able to: Understand the scope of pain surgical patients experience. Explain the pathophysiology of acute pain. List some benefits of proper post-operative pain control. List the classes of drugs used for acute pain control. List the indications, mechanism of action, and side effects of these drugs. Understand the rationale for the use of non-pharmacologic therapies in pain control.

This week Anesthesia Residents Urooj Siddiqui explains regional anesthetic. After listening to this podcast learner will be able to: Describe the pain pathway Identify differences between regional and general anesthetics Recognize advancements in Regional Block techniques List different types of regional blocks and their indications Identify contraindications and complications of regional blocks

This week Anesthesia Resident Urooj Siddiqui talks about Local Anesthesia. After listening to the podcast learners will be able to: Describe the pharmacology of local anesthetics Look at the different types of local anesthetics Highlight the different techniques used in local anesthesia Outline the toxicities associated with common local anesthetic agents Recognize the indications for and against the use of local anesthetics

This week Anesthesia resident Urooj Siddiqui talks about Neuromuscular Blocking Agents. After listening to the podcast learners will be able to: Understand pharmacology and physiology of muscle relaxants Discuss classes of neuromuscular blocking agents Know the importance of neuromuscular blockade in practice Comprehend monitoring muscle relaxation Grasp indications and contraindications Review complications

This week resident Ameer Farooq talks about General Anesthesia. After listening to the podcast learners will be able to:  Understand why it is important to know about General Anesthesia Outline indications for General Anesthesia Talk about preparation for General Anesthesia Follow the 3 main stages of General Anesthesia Induction, Maintenance, and Emergence Discuss complications of General Anesthesia

This week resident Ameer Farooq talks about the Anesthetic pre-operative assessment.  After listening to the podcast learners will be able to: Understand the Purpose of the Pre-operative history Know the important aspects of the history and physical exam to focus on. Describe two important classification systems that medical students should be aware of: the ASA score and Mallampati score.

This week resident Ameer Farooq interviews Dr. Mohamed about anesthesiology and being an anesthetist. After listening to the podcast learners will be able to: Define anesthesia Learn what is involved in anesthesia Understand the role of a modern anesthetist List expectations for clerkship and elective students in anesthesia Know what a typical day is like for a medical student in anesthesia Recognize what students can do to maximize their time Hear about resources for medical students

This week Danica Kindrachuk from the University of Saskatchewan gives an introduction to Anesthesia After listening to the podcast learners will be able to: Understand a bit of the history of anesthesia and understand its importance. Describe anesthesia and its scope of practice. Understand the differences between and uses of local, regional, and general anesthesia. List 4 main goals of general anesthesia. Define the term “balanced anesthesia” and its rationale.

This week Medical Student Amarjot Padda interviews General Pediatrician and Associate Professor in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Alberta, Dr. Mel Lewis and Pediatric General Surgeon and Associate Professor of Surgery at the University of Alberta, Dr. Bryan Dicken about important concepts in Pediatric Surgery and how it related to their specialties. In this podcast they will: Introduce students to pediatric surgery Review important points to consider when referring to a pediatric surgeon Explore how to talk to children and their families about surgery

In this episode, General Surgeon, Dr. Raji Menon continues discussing Burnout After listening to this episode, learners will be able to Reasons for Burnout   How to recognize burnout Ways to recover from and prevent burnout

In this episode, General Surgeon, Dr. Raji Menon discusses Burnout. After listening to this episode, learners will be able to: ·      Define Burnout and Stress ·      Learn the differences between burnout and stress ·      Describe consequences of burnout and who they affect

In this episode, medical student Cory Kwong discusses open fractures. After listening to this episode, learners will be able to: Define an open fracture Describe the epidemiology, etiology, and mechanism of an open fracture Describe the steps for initial management of an open fracture Identify potential complications associated with an open fracture  

In this episode, former medical student Stephanie Lim discusses fracture management. After listening to this episode, learners will be able to: Identify important features on history and physical exam when dealing with an acute injury Discuss radiographic assessment of fractures Review important terminology related to fractures Discuss principles of immobilization and reduction

In this episode, Thoracic Surgeon Dr. Simon Turner discusses Near-Peer Shadowing. In this episode Dr. Turner will describe: ·      Different structures of near-peer shadowing ·      Benefits for both trainees and mentors in the program ·      Hear about potential challenges