Posterior Reversible Encephalopathy Syndrome and Eclampsia.

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Emergency Medicine
• Neurology
• Obstetrics

Background:

• Posterior Reversible Encephalopathy Syndrome (PRES) presents with diverse neurological symptoms and is often underdiagnosed.
• Eclampsia, a hypertensive disorder in pregnancy, poses significant risks to both mother and fetus, necessitating prompt emergency management.
• Both conditions represent critical neurological and obstetric emergencies requiring specialized knowledge for effective treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the effectiveness of a structured interview case simulating Posterior Reversible Encephalopathy Syndrome (PRES) and eclampsia for emergency medicine resident training.
• To identify areas for improvement in educational materials and case design for evaluating trainees' knowledge of these critical conditions.

Main Methods:

• An oral board exam-style structured interview case was developed and administered to emergency medicine residents and fellows.
• A multi-institution virtual Mock Oral Boards Day facilitated the case administration and subsequent feedback collection.
• Learners and faculty examiners provided written feedback on case difficulty, quality, and effectiveness in assessing clinical reasoning.

Main Results:

• The educational case was rated as effective, high-quality, and intermediate-to-advanced in difficulty by both learners and faculty.
• Learners and faculty provided feedback suggesting improvements, including clearer history details and specific guidance on magnesium sulfate dosing for eclampsia.
• A need for enhanced instruction on the concurrent presentation of PRES and eclampsia was identified.

Conclusions:

• The structured interview case effectively evaluated trainees' understanding of PRES and eclampsia management.
• Further refinement of the case is recommended to address specific knowledge gaps, particularly regarding magnesium dosing and concurrent diagnoses.
• The study underscores the importance of realistic case simulations in medical education for critical obstetric and neurologic emergencies.