Key Points:
- Online ECG resources are best used for repeated case exposure, quick review, and pattern reinforcement. They should complement, not replace, a structured ECG curriculum.
- ECG STAT is designed for point-of-care review: criteria, dangerous ECG patterns, differential diagnoses, and bedside teaching.
- ECG Weekly is best for longitudinal case-based learning and maintaining pattern recognition over time.
- LITFL is a strong free resource for rapid topic review, especially for learners building or refreshing fundamentals.
- Dr. Smith’s ECG Blog is great for advanced ischemia interpretation, especially subtle occlusion MI and ECG patterns that may not meet classic STEMI criteria.
- Do not try to use every online ECG resource at once. Match the resource to your current ECG Skills level and your learning goal.
Online ECG resources are powerful because they allow rapid searching, repeated review, image comparison, and case-based learning. But they can also become overwhelming. Too many tabs, too many cases, and too many opinions can dilute learning rather than improve it.
The goal is not to collect every ECG website. The goal is to use a small number of high-quality resources deliberately.
This page highlights the online ECG resources we recommend most often and explains where each fits within the ECG STAT, ECG Weekly, and ECG Skills learning pathway.
For the full roadmap, use these:
1. ECG Weekly by Dr. Amal Mattu
Best for: Ongoing case-based ECG practice.
Where it fits: Core Level through Mastery & Teaching Level.
Why it is useful: ECG Weekly provides recurring emergency ECG cases with concise expert teaching by Dr. Amal Mattu. It is one of the best ways to maintain and improve ECG interpretation over time because it reinforces pattern recognition through repeated exposure.
How to use it: Treat each case as deliberate practice. Review the ECG first, commit to an interpretation, decide what you would do clinically, then watch and read the explanation. Use the associated workout quizzes to check whether you actually understood the case and earn CME. Save your favorites to watch again and benefit from spaced repetition.
Limitations: ECG Weekly is most useful when you actively interpret before reviewing the answer. Passive watching is much less effective.
Bottom line: We are biased, but ECG Weekly is simply one of the highest-yield longitudinal ECG learning tools for emergency and acute care clinicians.
Check out the latest workout here:
2. ECG STAT
Best for: Point-of-care review, rapid criteria checks, dangerous differential diagnoses, and reinforcement of high-yield ECG patterns.
Where it fits: All ECG Skills levels.
Why it is useful: ECG STAT is designed to help acute care clinicians quickly review ECG findings that matter in real clinical practice. With over 300 mini-chapters, it is especially useful when you need to clarify criteria, review a dangerous pattern, teach a learner, or connect an ECG finding to a clinically important differential diagnosis.
How to use it: Use ECG STAT before, during, or after clinical care when you need a focused answer. It is also useful for teaching on shift, reviewing missed patterns, and linking ECG findings to related ECG Weekly cases and ECG Skills exams.
Limitations: ECG STAT is not meant to be the only way you learn ECGs. It works best when paired with repeated case interpretation, feedback, and assessment.
Bottom line: Again, we are biased, but ECG STAT is an incredible point-of-care ECG reference and teaching tool within the broader ECG Skills ecosystem.
Check out the ECG STAT homepage:
3. Life in the Fast Lane ECG Library
Best for: Quick online review of common ECG topics.
Where it fits: Foundations Level through Advanced Level.
Why it is useful: The LITFL ECG Library is broad, accessible, and easy to search. It is especially useful when you need a quick explanation, representative ECG examples, or a refresher on a known diagnosis.
How to use it: Use LITFL when you need to quickly review an ECG pattern, syndrome, rhythm, or measurement concept. It is particularly useful for learners building fundamentals or clinicians who want a fast refresher.
Limitations: LITFL is a reference resource, not a complete training pathway. Use it to clarify and reinforce topics, but do not rely on it alone to build clinical ECG judgment.
Bottom line: A reliable, practical, free ECG reference for learners and clinicians.
Check out the library here:
4. Dr. Stephen Smith’s ECG Blog
Best for: Advanced ischemia interpretation, subtle occlusion MI, and complex ECG cases.
Where it fits: Advanced Level through Mastery & Teaching Level.
Why it is useful: Dr. Smith’s ECG Blog contains detailed cases and expert discussion, particularly around subtle ischemia, occlusion MI, and ECG patterns that may be missed by classic STEMI criteria. It is valuable for clinicians who want to move beyond threshold-based ECG interpretation and improve recognition of dangerous patterns before they become obvious.
How to use it: Use this resource for advanced case review. Read the case, commit to your interpretation, then study the discussion carefully. It is especially useful for OMI-focused learning, subtle reciprocal changes, hyperacute T waves, posterior MI, and challenging ischemia mimics.
Limitations: This is not the best starting point for true beginners. The cases and discussions can be detailed and are most useful after the learner already has a solid ECG foundation.
Bottom line: Excellent advanced resource for clinicians serious about subtle ischemia and occlusion MI recognition.
Check out the blog here:
4. Dr. Stephen Smith’s ECG Blog
Best for: Advanced ischemia interpretation, subtle occlusion MI, and complex ECG cases.
Where it fits: Advanced Level through Mastery & Teaching Level.
Why it is useful: Dr. Smith’s ECG Blog contains detailed cases and expert discussion, particularly around subtle ischemia, occlusion MI, and ECG patterns that may be missed by classic STEMI criteria. It is valuable for clinicians who want to move beyond threshold-based ECG interpretation and improve recognition of dangerous patterns before they become obvious.
How to use it: Use this resource for advanced case review. Read the case, commit to your interpretation, then study the discussion carefully. It is especially useful for OMI-focused learning, subtle reciprocal changes, hyperacute T waves, posterior MI, and challenging ischemia mimics.
Limitations: This is not the best starting point for true beginners. The cases and discussions can be detailed and are most useful after the learner already has a solid ECG foundation.
Bottom line: Excellent advanced resource for clinicians serious about subtle ischemia and occlusion MI recognition.
Final Recommendations:
If you are new to ECGs
Start with:
- ECG Basics & Fundamentals Hub
- Foundations Level Curriculum
- ECG STAT 101
- LITFL for quick review of basic concepts
- Selected ECG Weekly cases linked from STAT posts
Your goal is to build a consistent approach before chasing advanced patterns.
If you are an intern or early resident
Use:
- Core Level Curriculum
- ECG STAT posts linked in the Core modules
- ECG Weekly cases and quizzes
- LITFL as a quick reference
Your goal is to triage safely: routine, needs serial evaluation, or needs immediate escalation.
If you are intermediate or advanced
Use:
- Advanced Level Curriculum
- ECG Weekly cases and quizzes
- Dr. Smith’s ECG Blog for subtle ischemia and OMI
- ECG STAT advanced posts
- ECG Skills exams when available
Your goal is to recognize subtle high-risk ECGs without overcalling benign patterns.
If you are an attending, educator, or ECG lead
Use:
- Expert and Mastery & Teaching curricula
- ECG Weekly for ongoing maintenance
- ECG STAT for teaching and bedside reinforcement
- Dr. Smith’s ECG Blog for advanced ischemia calibration
- ECG Skills exams and case review for quality improvement
Your goal is to maintain expertise, teach others, and reduce missed high-risk ECG patterns.
Practical Bottom Line
Use online ECG resources deliberately:
- ECG STAT: Point-of-care review and teaching.
- ECG Weekly: Longitudinal case-based practice.
- LITFL: Quick topic review and fundamentals.
- Dr. Smith’s ECG Blog: Advanced ischemia and subtle OMI cases.
- ECG Skills: Structured assessment and progression.
Do not spread yourself across too many resources. Pick the resource that matches your current ECG Skills level, interpret actively, and keep returning to real cases.
Have another recommendation you want us to review?
