ruralEM celebrates its 100th case milestone. Launched in February 2016, ruralEM is an ACRRM online course that includes case discussions that align with the College's advanced specialised training (AST) in emergency medicine (EM).

Initially facilitated by FACRRMs Dr Peter Arvier and A/Prof Bill Nimo, ruralEM is currently led by Dr Minh Le Cong. This forum, open to all ACRRM members, holds particular significance for registrars undergoing AST-EM training, medical students, junior doctors considering higher training in emergency medicine, and FACRRMs aiming to enhance their EM knowledge and skills. 

Dr Le Cong said: 

“I’m deeply honoured to lead the ruralEM forum for 2024. Emergency situations can arise for doctors regardless of their location, but the importance of handling them correctly is amplified in rural and remote areas where resources, staff, and facilities are sometimes limited. The forum provides members with an opportunity to navigate real-life situations collaboratively, and devise strategies for addressing emergencies.” 

This initiative provides ACRRM members with a forum for collaborative discussions about emergency medicine topics ranging from hyperthermia to obstetrics, seizures, burns, retrieval and management of multiple injuries. Over the course of the first 100 cases, the ruralEM forum has amassed over 3500 comments, demonstrating its value to participants and the quality of the discussions.  

How ruralEM works? 

The forum is facilitated by a selection of highly experienced FACRRMs, offering insights gained through many years of emergency medicine practice. Every three weeks, a new and challenging case is presented, with ongoing developments debated and discussed. Summaries of key learning points are provided as educational materials, serving as invaluable resources for future practice and exam preparation. 

The inaugural ruralEM case, introduced by Dr Peter Arvier, centred on a 70-year-old farmer trapped in mud following a quad bike rollover. Now, eight years later, case 100, presented by Dr. Matthew Ruhl, revolves around an aggressive 19-year-old who consumed a green liquid with an orange juice like smell. 

Why you should enrol in ruralEM 

Enrolling in ruralEM offers numerous benefits. Each year, ACRRM covers various EM curriculum areas with cases contextualised within rural and remote settings. This results in an expanding repository of resources on each topic.  

Access to the 100 ruralEM cases is free for ACRRM members. Completing the quiz at the conclusion of a case earns participants 1 CPD performance review hour in EM, and self-reporting time spent engaging in case discussions.  

Enrol in ruralEM to enhance skills such as: recognising "red flags" in ED patients, resource management in rural/regional EDs, utilisation of diagnostic tools, management of urgent clinical issues without immediate specialist guidance, anticipation of potential complications, consideration of social and cultural factors in patient management, effective communication with various stakeholders, and preparation of patients for safe transfer to other facilities. 

If you're already an ACRRM member, you can enrol in ruralEM for free today. For those not yet members, becoming an ACRRM member grants access to ruralEM and a wealth of additional resources.