Why ECG Interpretation Matters:
The ECG is one of the fastest, highest-impact diagnostic tests in acute care. When interpretation is rapid and accurate, patients get timely reperfusion, pacing, defibrillation, antidotes, and escalation. When it is slow or inaccurate, critical pathology gets mislabeled as “no STEMI,” “sinus tach,” or “artifact.” This curriculum is designed to build speed without sacrificing correctness by repeatedly tying ECG patterns to the clinical scenario.
Curriculum Structure
The curriculum is organized by progressive skill level. Each level page includes:
- A clear set of objectives (what you should be able to do at the bedside)
- High-yield ECG STAT links (the reference)
- ECG Weekly Workouts linked to those topics (the reps), with specific workout quizzes that test your understanding of that topic
- ECG Skills exams where available (the check)
A theme you will see repeatedly: an ECG never exists in a vacuum. Your interpretation should change based on symptoms, vitals, pretest probability, and the consequences of being wrong.
How to use this curriculum
- Start at your level and work module-by-module.
- Read the linked ECG STAT posts until you can explain the pattern out loud.
- Do the related ECG Weekly Workouts and their respective quizzes to build pattern recognition under time pressure.
- Take the ECG Skills exams to expose blind spots.
- Loop back to modules where you miss questions or feel slow.
Designed for medical students, new interns, paramedics, nurses, APPs, and any clinician who wants a solid baseline. Learn a consistent approach to rate, rhythm, axis, intervals, conduction, and normal variants, with constant emphasis on clinical context and common pitfalls.
Designed as a PGY-1 guide, but appropriate for any clinician moving from “I can interpret” to “I can triage safely.” Build speed and reliability with high-frequency ED rhythms, early ischemia recognition, and rapid identification of life-threatening patterns.
Designed as a PGY-2 guide, but useful for clinicians who want deeper confidence with nuance. Expand into conduction blocks, wide-QRS differentiation, subtle ischemic patterns, tox and metabolic ECGs, and higher-level arrhythmia interpretation.
Designed as a PGY-3 guide, but built for anyone tackling complex ECGs under pressure. Focus on STEMI equivalents, difficult OMI patterns, rare syndromes, and the clinical integration that separates correct interpretation from correct decisions.
Designed for senior residents and attendings, and for any clinician who teaches others. Emphasizes rapid pattern recognition, case-based reasoning, avoiding cognitive traps, and practical teaching frameworks you can use on shift.
