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Consult: General Surgery for Acute Abdomen

Call the on-call surgery resident about a patient with a classic acute abdomen, practicing a data-driven and concise presentation.

  1. 1
    Briefing
  2. 2
    Simulation
  3. 3
    Feedback

How This Works

This is an interactive phone call simulation. You'll speak with Dr. Lee in a realistic clinical communication scenario.

1. Start Call

Click "Start Call" when you're ready. Speak naturally as you would on a real call.

2. Have the Conversation

10 minutes to complete the call. The AI responds in real-time to what you say.

3. Get Feedback

End the call when finished. You'll receive AI-powered feedback on your communication.

💡 Tip: Speak clearly and at a natural pace. If you need a moment to think, it's okay to pause briefly - just as you would in a real conversation.

Briefing Details

Consult Briefing

Your Objective

You are the ED physician caring for a patient with a classic presentation for acute appendicitis. Your goal is to call the on-call surgery resident, Dr. Lee, and effectively communicate the case using the SBAR framework. Surgical residents value brevity and data; be prepared to present the essential facts quickly and clearly.

Patient: Jessica Miller, 22F

  • Room: ED Bed 5
  • Code Status: Full Code

Case Summary & Data

History: 22F with no significant PMH who presents with 12 hours of abdominal pain. The pain started around her umbilicus and has now migrated to the right lower quadrant. She has had no appetite since yesterday and vomited once this morning.

Pertinent Exam/Vitals:

  • Vitals: Temp 101.1°F (38.4°C), BP 110/70, HR 105, RR 18.
  • Exam: Patient is lying still. Abdomen is tender to palpation in the RLQ with focal rebound tenderness and guarding.

Initial Workup:

  • Labs: White Blood Cell (WBC) count is 15.5 (elevated).
  • Imaging: A CT scan of the abdomen/pelvis has been ordered but is not yet complete.

The Clinical Question

You have a patient with a classic history, exam, and lab findings for acute appendicitis.

Your "Ask": Your specific question for the surgery resident is: "I have a patient with a high clinical suspicion for appendicitis. I'd like you to come and evaluate her for the OR. I've ordered the CT, but I don't think we need to wait for it."

Learning Objectives

Optional prep details

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Optional Pre-Call Knowledge Check

Optional self-check before you start

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After completing this scenario, you will be able to:

  • Apply the SBAR framework to structure a surgical consultation call.
  • Synthesize pertinent patient data (history, exam, labs, imaging) into a concise oral presentation.
  • Identify the key clinical findings required for a general surgery consultation for suspected appendicitis.

When formulating the 'Recommendation' part of your SBAR for a patient with classic appendicitis, what is the most appropriate request to the on-call surgery resident?

Which laboratory result is most significant to report to the surgical resident for a patient with suspected acute appendicitis?

Before calling surgery, you review your patient's exam. Which physical finding is most crucial to include in your SBAR report for suspected appendicitis?