The First10EM monthly wrap up is a place for me to share updates about the website, about my academic life, and also interesting content, such as books, podcasts, and other FOAMed, that I have encountered in the prior month. Obviously the format means the focus is mostly on content I have found, but I hope the community gets engaged in the comments, sharing books, podcasts, FOAMed, or anything else that you think would benefit or delight the broader emergency medicine community.
There is not a huge amount to say about First10EM this month, but a ton of background work has gone in so that I should hopefully have a huge announcement of expanded content next month.
What I am reading
I usually dislike books with any sort of movement in time, because a small amount of thinking usually unravels the fictional universe. However, The Circumference of the World by Lavie Tidar was a unique take, and I thought it was a great read. (Although reading on beaches always makes me a less harsh critic).
The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton is another one with a time loop theme that I really enjoyed.
I think all readers of First10EM will enjoy “How Minds Change” by David McRaney, and it should probably be required reading for anyone interesting in evidence based medicine. I have also really enjoyed his previous books You are Not So Smart and You are Now Less Dumb, as well as his podcast.
Too Like the Lightning came highly recommended from one of my favourite sources of book recommendations: EMCrit. I found the politics, science function, and philosophy fascinating, even if there were some aspects of the book I found off putting. It was a good enough book that I started reading the second book in the series (Seven Surrenders) just minutes after finishing this one, and it is at least as good as the first.
I am just finishing Good Inside by Becky Kennedy, and it will instantly become the go to parenting book I recommend to anyone interested. Not just a rational, science based theory of parenting, but lots of solid practical and easy to institute advice. (This book was recommended by a reader a few months back. Thank you so much for the recommendation! If you are reading books you think others will love, please leave them in the comments. Great book finds are among the best gifts one can receive.)
Interesting media
I have been looking for a great philosophy podcast for a long time. It is surprisingly hard to find. Some assume too much baseline knowledge; others are too simplistic. Some focus too much on individual philosophers, rather than providing the breadth of thought on a topic. Often, they are just too abstruse. Over Christmas, a friend recommended “Philosophize This”, and although I have just listened to a few random episodes so far, I love it. It does a great job of summarizing thought on important topics, and also ties it to current affairs in a way that brings philosophy out of the realm of the purely theoretical.
Definitely open to other great podcasts, although my recommendations in this area are probably going to drop off dramatically, as I am no longer spending dozens of hours every month commuting for work.
My Favourite FOAMed this month
I realise that it is somewhat ridiculous that I recommend EMCrit every month, given that his audience is 1000x mine, but quality is quality, and Scott is always leading the way. I am not sure how other people will feel, but despite doing almost no prolonged critical care and sounding really boring, I found the episode on “Acute Critical Care Medication Reconciliation” to be incredibly educational. It also meshed really well with one of my other favorite FOAMed publications, “Polypharmacy in the ICU – when in doubt, deprescribe” on PulmCrit (although that might just be because ‘deprescribe’ is my favourite word in medicine.)
The Emergency Medicine Cases episode on “The Future of EM – Systems Thinking” tackled an important topic and
Quotes or Thoughts
“Luck is not chance, it’s toil; fortune’s expensive smile is earned.” – Emily Dickinson
“You are not singular in your suspicions that you know but little. The longer I live, the more I read, the more patiently I think, and the more anxiously inquire, the less I seem to know…” – John Adams
