#FOAMed

The St Emlyn’s team looks back on 2018 through changes in clinical practice, memorable research, books, blogs and podcasts. Alongside personal highlights and experiences, contributors share what they learned and the people and ideas they were watching as 2019 began.

How should we interpret survival improvements after changes to UK trauma services? This appraisal examines TARN data from 2008–2017, considering regional trauma networks alongside changing patient populations, case identification and missing data. It also highlights the challenge of recognising serious injury in older people.

Catch up with St Emlyn’s in the December 2018 podcast roundup. The accompanying reading links cover teamwork across specialty boundaries, clinical handover, chest trauma and HIV, alongside reports from the Intensive Care Society meeting and the FemInEM Ideas Exchange.

Why did mortality remain so high among hypotensive patients needing emergency trauma laparotomy? Rich Carden’s 2018 discussion examines earlier studies, delays to surgery and damage control care, then explains the need for more detailed data and the planned TELA audit.

What can Game of Thrones teach us about critical appraisal? This festive journal club examines a study of character survival, using its methods to explore cohort selection, outcome definitions and statistical analysis. Expect spoilers from the first seven seasons and a deliberately light-hearted approach to research.

Revisit the November 2018 St Emlyn’s podcast roundup and its accompanying reading list. Linked posts explore cognitive load, learning in the social age, a medical elective in South Africa and cardiac arrest care, with further reflections from the FemInEM Ideas Exchange.