Online Pulmonary Medicine Course
Pulmonary Academy – Learning Objectives
Session 1: Introduction – An Overview of Pulmonary
- Recognize the primary (gas exchange) and secondary functions of the lung
- Identify the basic anatomic lung units
- Distinguish the five causes of hypoxemia
- Recognize single and double acid-base disorders
Session 2: Pulmonary Testing
- Understand the language of PFT’s
- Competently interpret full PFTS (spirometry, flow volume loops, lung volumes and diffusion capacity)
- Avoid pitfalls in interpretation
- Correlate PFT patterns with patient’s clinical picture and disease processes at presentation and over time
Session 3: The Pulmonary Office Visit
- Understand the role of the pulmonary consultant in the outpatient setting.
- Learn how to take focused history and detailed pulmonary exam.
- Incorporate data such as x-rays, PFTs, laboratory studies into developing differential diagnosis.
- Develop directed recommendations to relay to the referring provider.
Session 4: Obstructive Lung Disease – COPD
- Review pathophysiology of chronic obstructive lung disease
- Discuss types of COPD (emphysema and chronic bronchitis)
- Utilize and interpret testing to evaluate COPD such as PFTs and imaging
- Develop appropriate treatment strategies to improve overall function and reduce symptomatology
Session 5: Obstructive Lung Disease – Asthma
- Discuss pathophysiology of asthma
- Describe the various levels of asthma control
- Evaluate asthma patient utilizing various assessment tools to assess control and triggers
- Develop treatment plan appropriate for level of asthma control including medications and avoidance of triggers.
Session 6: Restrictive Lung Diseases
- Review pathophysiology of restrictive lung disease
- Discuss causes of restrictive lung disease such as neuromuscular weakness, kyphoscoliosis, interstitial lung disease and obesity related restriction
- Utilize and interpret testing to evaluate restrictive lung disease such as PFTs (MIP/MEP) and imaging
- Develop appropriate treatment strategies to improve overall function and reduce symptomatology
Session 7: Pulmonary Vascular Diseases
- Review pathophysiology of pulmonary vascular diseases
- Discuss causes of pulmonary vascular diseases such as pulmonary emboli, pulmonary HTN and veno-occlusive disease
- Utilize and interpret testing to evaluate pulmonary vascular diseases such as PFTs, lung scans and 6MWT
- Develop appropriate treatment strategies to improve overall function and reduce symptomatology
Session 8: Lung Neoplasms and Pulmonary Nodules
- Understand types and etiology of pulmonary nodules
- Incorporate Fleischner Criteria into the approach to solitary nodule and multiple pulmonary nodules
- Develop a plan to evaluate, manage and follow up pulmonary nodules
- Initiate appropriate dialogue with patient and family the plan
Session 9: Common Complaints
- Review common pulmonary complaints; such as cough, wheezing, chronic dyspnea
- Formulate differential diagnosis of these complaints
- Develop work up strategies and treatment plan to address common complaints
- Summarize important factors addressed in preoperative evaluation of the pulmonary patient
Session 10: Other Key Topics
- Recognize and develop management strategies of pleural and mediastinal diseases such as pleural effusions and mediastinal masses
- Review assessment of the patient with chronic respiratory insufficiency
- Plan with patient effective resources available to improve quality of life, such as pulmonary rehab
- Generate discussions specific to goals of care and end of life issues with pulmonary patients
- Discuss importance of vaccinations and TB testing in appropriate patients