#ICEicle: The Lost(?) Art of the Cardiac Physical Exam – #FOAMed Resources

2016 is the 200^th anniversary of the invention of the modern stethoscope, by Prof Laennec of Paris. This simple instrument is key to diagnose and to exclude abnormalities of the heart,¹ but its getting little respect!  While education innovations in auscultation teaching have been made² widespread adoption is lacking.

Enter a new #FOAMed resource: teachingheartauscultation.com

With a list of international contributors, this multimedia resource is endorsed by the Canadian Cardiovascular Society and the Canadian Pediatric Cardiology Association. Dalhousie University, the University of Alberta, the University of Melbourne and the University of Western Australia are all incorporating this resource into their clinical teaching.

References:

• Metkus TS. The physical examination and the fifth maneuver. J Amer Coll Cardiology 2015;66;2048-2051
• Finley JP et al. International trial of online auditory training programme for distinguishing innocent and pathological murmurs. J Paediatr Child Health. 2015 Aug;51(8):815-9

Icicle image by Vitolef via FreeDigitialPhotos.net