July is here and in full force! I hope everyone enjoyed the 4th of July weekend. I spent time with my always-entertaining extended family over the long weekend. It’s always so fulfilling to spend quality time with my parents, aunts, uncles, and cousins, and we definitely have no shortage of laughs!
I did find some time one evening this week to do the ASHP Literature Review Module 1D- Pulmonary (COPD and Asthma). As a reminder, ASHP provides the recertification materials to me for free, but the opinions below are entirely my own.
This module contained 4 articles: 2 articles on the use of magnesium in acute asthma, 1 article on azithromycin impact on COPD-related chronic cough, and 1 article on the impact of withdrawal of inhaled steroids on COPD exacerbations. Notice ZERO articles on statistics! I had not read any of these articles, so as in previous modules, it made me read primary literature that I may not have otherwise. I really liked that the module included the 2 articles on magnesium use in asthma (one in adults, one in children); this seemed to give a good overview of the topic for non-experts like me. As an ID specialist, I enjoyed the aspects of the azithromycin article that dealt with concerns of antimicrobial resistance since it’s such a big concern globally (just see the latest issue of Consumer Reports: http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/magazine/2015/08/index.htm).
There were 20 assessment questions, and a 75% is required to pass (so 15 correct). I felt a couple of the assessment questions were a little tricky, and a couple of them seemed to ask the same question in different ways. Additionally, I thought there weren’t any *direct* stats questions, but of course you need a basic understanding of stats in order to apply study results to a given patient case.
Like the previous modules, I really enjoyed this Literature Review Module. It made me read articles I wouldn’t have otherwise, and I could get recertification credit with a cat sleeping on my lap. :)
As a reminder, the Literature Review Modules 1A-1D are only valid for recertification credit until July 29th (for general CE they are valid longer), so make some time this month!
I hope everyone enjoys their month of July. Until next month!
~Lindsey