The Learning Curve

Summary:
In this episode of The Learning Curve, host Dr. Irtaza Asar is joined by Dr. Jesse Pines for a conversation about the rapidly evolving role of artificial intelligence in medical education and how these technologies are beginning to reshape the way clinicians learn, teach, and make decisions.
Dr. Pines explores the opportunities AI offers for personalized learning, clinical reasoning, knowledge synthesis, feedback, and curriculum development, while also addressing the limitations and potential risks of relying too heavily on these tools. The discussion highlights practical ways educators and learners can thoughtfully integrate AI into their everyday workflows, from generating educational content and accelerating literature review to supporting clinical decision-making and creating more individualized learning experiences.
Ultimately, the conversation moves beyond the hype to examine how AI can be used responsibly—not as a replacement for physicians or educators, but as a powerful tool to augment learning, improve efficiency, enhance teaching, and help shape the future of medical education.
 
Key Takeaways:
AI is shifting medical education from memorization to judgment
AI works best when used for edge cases, not just routine ones
Just-in-time learning is more powerful than after-the-fact studying
The biggest risk is not wrong answers, but missing information
AI use is already happening, so education must focus on literacy, not prohibition
Prompting is becoming a real clinical skill
AI can make teaching more adaptive and personalized
Dr. Pines podcast: Healthcare AI Pioneers

Structural bias can shape patient outcomes through barriers such as delayed interpreter access, limited resources, inconsistent protocols, and unequal access to care. In this episode of TSN 5, Dr. Ryan McLoughlin explains how clinicians can recognize these system-level gaps, respond in real time, and use small, intentional actions to create more equitable care.

In this episode of Teach Me Something New in Under 5 Minutes, Dr. Ryan McLoughlin breaks down cognitive bias in emergency medicine — the thinking traps that can lead even smart, experienced clinicians toward diagnostic error. From anchoring and premature closure to availability bias, this episode highlights how bias shows up during real ED decision-making and offers a simple framework to slow down, ask “What else could this be?”, and catch potential misses before they impact patient care.

Summary:
In this TSN5 episode, Dr. Ryan McLoughlin breaks down a practical, real-time approach to recognizing implicit bias in the ED. He walks through how unconscious assumptions can influence clinical reasoning, pain management, diagnosis, and disposition — especially when we’re busy, stressed, and moving fast. Most importantly, he explains how a simple pause, a second diagnosis, and one key question can help interrupt bias before it impacts patient care.

Summary:
What do you do when the vent is maxed, the pressors are climbing, and your usual resuscitation playbook is no longer enough?
In this episode of The Learning Curve, Dr. Irtaza Asar sits down with ECMO expert Dr. Hitesh Gidwani to break down one of critical care’s most powerful rescue tools: ECMO.
Together, they unpack when to start thinking about ECMO, how to tell the difference between VV and VA ECMO, and how to recognize the patient who may benefit before it is too late. Dr. Gidwani shares practical decision-making frameworks, common pitfalls to avoid, and lessons from over a decade of ECMO experience.
From crashing patients to limb ischemia to the big-picture question of whether ECMO is truly the right bridge, this episode makes a complex topic feel practical, approachable, and clinically relevant.
A must-listen for anyone who takes care of sick patients and wants to better understand what happens when conventional resuscitation isn’t enough.

Summary:
In this TSN5 episode, Dr. Kenny Chang breaks down a practical, high-yield approach to recognizing aortic dissection in the ED. He walks through key bedside clues — sudden severe pain, pulse or perfusion deficits, and neurologic red flags — while emphasizing why this diagnosis can masquerade as ACS. Most importantly, he explains why pausing before anticoagulation or cath lab activation can be the decision that saves a life.

Summary:
“Just cellulitis” … until the patient crashes.
Necrotizing soft tissue infections are rare, deadly, and EASY to miss early. In this episode of TSN5, we break down the red flags that should make you stop and think:
Pain out of proportionRapid progressionCrepitus, bullae, skin changesThe “sicker than they look” patient
Because in nec fasc… time is tissue.

Summary:In the emergency department, most syncope is benign—but the cases you miss can be life-threatening. In this TSN5 episode, Dr. Emily F. shares a simple framework to rapidly identify high-risk patients, grounded in core essentials like the ECG, glucose, and pregnancy test.
Instead of relying on complex scoring systems, this practical approach helps clinicians confirm true syncope, recognize red flags using the ABCDE LEFT RIGHT rule, and stratify risk based on history and key findings. The result: faster, clearer decision-making—so you can confidently determine who needs further workup and who can be safely discharged.

When the ED gets chaotic, moving faster isn’t the answer—thinking better is. In this TSN5 episode, Dr. Gavin Rogers shows how structured prioritization, early critical actions, and clear communication can turn chaos into control. High-yield strategies to help you stay sharp, protect your cognitive bandwidth, and perform at your best under pressure.

Summary:
In this episode of Teach Me Something New in Under 5 Minutes (TSN5), Dr. Ronith Chakraborty discusses the importance of quickly identifying large vessel occlusions (LVOs) in stroke patients using the VAN score. Unlike the NIH Stroke Scale, which is comprehensive but time-consuming, the VAN score is designed for speed and efficiency. It focuses on identifying weakness and cortical signs such as vision, aphasia, and neglect. If a patient shows weakness plus any of these signs, it indicates a potential LVO, prompting immediate action towards thrombectomy. The VAN score is quick, taking less than 30 seconds, and has a high sensitivity, making it a practical tool in emergency settings.