The block timetable is available at this link.
About the course
Why do we study Emergency Medicine?
Because every doctor may encounter a patient whose condition suddenly deteriorates and who requires immediate medical attention.
The aim of the Emergency Medicine course is not to turn every student into an emergency physician. Rather, we teach you how to recognize a critically ill patient, how to begin their assessment and initial management, and how to organize appropriate further assistance.
Throughout the course, you will develop a range of skills that are essential for every doctor – from recognizing the critically ill patient and performing an ABCDE assessment to in-hospital resuscitation, point-of-care ultrasound, structured communication, and problem-oriented clinical reasoning.
What will you learn?
Recognizing the critically ill patient
- recognizing a critically ill patient using the “Quick Look” approach
- recognizing potentially life-threatening conditions based on warning signs, or “red flags”
- performing a rapid and structured assessment of the patient
- linking identified abnormalities to the appropriate therapeutic interventions
ABCDE assessment and management
A – Airway
- assessing airway patency
- applying manual airway management techniques
- using basic airway devices
B – Breathing
- assessing and evaluating breathing
- assessing oxygenation
- administering oxygen therapy
- performing bag-mask ventilation
C – Circulation
- assessing and evaluating circulation
- applying appropriate monitoring techniques
- interpreting an ECG
- recognizing indications for intravenous fluid therapy
D – Disability | Neurological status
- performing a basic neurological examination
- recognizing suspected stroke using the BeFAST approach
- assessing level of consciousness using AVPU and GCS
- evaluating blood glucose levels
E – Exposure | Full-body examination
- performing a full-body examination from an emergency medicine perspective
- recognizing injuries and other abnormalities
- assessing body temperature
- performing a basic interpretation of arterial blood gas results
Resuscitation
- performing BLS in the hospital setting
- using an AED safely
- understanding and performing the relevant tasks involved in advanced life support
Point-of-care ultrasound
- performing an eFAST examination
- basic interpretation of ultrasound findings
Communication and teamwork
- structured communication within the healthcare team
- using the SBAR communication framework
- structured handover of patient-related information
How do we learn?
The course is delivered in a block format, closely integrating theoretical knowledge with the development of practical skills.
Lectures
Lectures provide the theoretical foundations of emergency care, the principles of emergency medicine, and the assessment and management of critically ill patients.
Workshops and skills training
In small groups, students practise, among other things:
- ABCDE patient assessment
- airway management
- oxygen therapy
- bag-mask ventilation
- patient monitoring
- BLS
- eFAST examination
Simulation
Acquired knowledge and skills are applied in simulated emergency situations.
The focus is not only on individual technical skills, but also on problem-oriented clinical reasoning, decision-making, and teamwork.
Bedside training
Students also practise the principles of emergency patient assessment in a real clinical environment.
Ambulance service placement
Students become familiar with the emergency medical service system, different types of ambulance units, and prehospital emergency equipment.
Independent preparation
The regularly updated Emergency Medicine course notes available on Moodle are an essential resource for independent preparation.
How do we assess your knowledge?
Theoretical knowledge
An online written examination covering the following main areas:
- assessment and initial management of the critically ill patient until advanced medical support arrives
- problem-oriented clinical reasoning
- recognition of “red flag” symptoms
- understanding the relationship between identified abnormalities and the required therapeutic interventions
A minimum score of 51% is required to pass the online written examination.
Practical skills
Practical skills are assessed in the form of an OSCE (Objective Structured Clinical Examination).
The examination may assess, among others, the following skills:
- manual airway opening
- use of basic airway devices
- bag-mask ventilation
- assessment of oxygenation
- administration of oxygen therapy
- assessment and monitoring of circulation
- ECG interpretation
- in-hospital BLS
- safe use of an AED
- structured patient handover using the SBAR framework
- performing and interpreting an eFAST examination
Each practical skill must be completed with a minimum performance of 50%.
Final grade
The final grade is based on the results of three examination components:
- OSCE I – BLS: 25%
- OSCE II – two practical skills: 25%
- Online written examination: 50%
Course information
- Course name: Emergency Medicine and Oxyology
- Year: 4th year
- Semester: VII–VIII
- Course type: compulsory
- Credits: 2
- Teaching format: block teaching
- Attendance requirement: attendance at 90% of the scheduled practical sessions and lectures is mandatory
- Assessment: colloquium
- Schedule: according to the block schedule; teaching days: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday
- Location: Department of Emergency Medicine – 1082 Budapest, Üllői út 78/A
On the first teaching day, please meet in front of the Chapel on the ground floor of the Central Patient Care Building.
Prerequisites
The following courses must have been completed before taking Emergency Medicine:
- Pharmacology I
- Translational Medicine and Pathophysiology II
- Introduction to Internal Medicine / Internal Medicine Propedeutics
Contact
For questions and further information: edu.sok@semmelweis.hu
English Program Coordinator: Dr. László Békefi