I gotta give a shout out to the #FOAMed world.  The last year and a half has been really stimulating, learning from and exchanging with an amazing cohort of peers, all striving towards self-improvement and saving a few extra lives. I’m also really thankful for all those who take a few minutes of their busy days to read or listen to some of the stuff I spew out, and truly appreciate comments and discussion.

Undeniably #FOAMed has made me a better doc, both from the standpoint of learning and inspiration, which is really the fuel behind continuing education. I’ve been involved in organizing events, and in fact, doing so, and the interaction with both the faculty and the participants has been, in and of itself, of immense worth in terms of motivation and a feeling of kinship to a like-minded group, which I think is very important to practicing physicians.

As a consequence of some of these #FOAMed introductions, some good things are in the planning stages for 2015.

Winter: check out BEEM january 26-28 out in Vancouver BC – I can’t make that but really wish I could.

Spring: Two really interesting events in collaboration with l’ASMIQ (Association des Specialistes en Medicine Interne du Quebec – Quebec internists), one being a half day on Shock & Resus (may 30th), and a full day on Lung Ultrasound (may 29th) featuring the grandfather of it all, guru Dr. Daniel Lichtenstein, the one who invented it (well…discovered it, technically). Both take place in Montreal. (Technically this is for ASMIQ members but if anyone is interested, let me know and I’ll see what I can do!)

Of course, CCUS 2015 takes place may 1-3 in Montreal. Can’t miss that. Register at http://www.ccusinstitute.org.

Summer? I’m not running anything, but definitely going to SMACC Chicago. Just go. ‘Nuff said. http://www.smacc.net.au.

Fall: Ken Milne (@TheSGEM) and I will be planning a really cool day combining a critical appraisal workshop and a review of acute care highlights, taking place in Montreal in the fall. Ken will teach us how to learn while being skeptical, and participants should leave with an important skill as well as a headful of practical knowledge. We don’t have a title for this yet but I’ll be sure to let you know! In the meantime be sure to check out Ken’s awesome stuff at http://www.thesgem.com. He keeps it real.

I’ve also been asked to organize an Ultrasound Simulation Workshop (we are doing an EchoSchockSim in CCUS 2015), which may also happen towards the end of the year.

Ok, so that was just a bit of an update on what’s up in the next year. Hope to meet some of you at these events, do come and say hi!

cheers

Philippe