Spoonful of Sugar

Does the idea of choosing an anti-arrhythmic drug make your heart skip a beat? Fear not, for MS3s Darby Billing and Michelle Troup have a steady pulse on this challenging topic. With lots of questions to keep you engaged, they will make sure you remember the key points for the boards, and beyond!

The only thing harder than remembering details of all the hepatitis viruses is memorizing those pesky hepatitis B antigens. Lucky for you, our newest team member Alexa Rae (Lexie) Churan simplifies it in our classic Spoonful of Sugar style – lots of questions (but no pressure), and lots of repetition to make sure these commonly tested concepts get ingrained your memory.

At some point during clinical rotations, you’ll be asked about screening guidelines for lung cancer. It’s important to know these for sure, but it’s also important to know what to do if there are any abnormalities after you order that screening. Here, we’ll review the guidelines for how to classify and further work up pulmonary nodules!

Did you know approximately 21% of US adults experience a mood disorder at some point in their lives? This is an extremely important, not to mention commonly tested, topic that all medical students should be familiar with. In this episode, our newest team member MS3 Bilal Rana will review Major Depressive Disorder, Bipolar Disorder, Persistent Depressive Disorder, Cyclothymic Disorder, Adjustment Disorder, Grief, and Postpartum Blues vs. Depression vs. Psychosis. Stay tuned for a future episode on the pharmacology related to these disorders!

In this episode, we’ll cover all things bradycardia, including sinus bradycardia, and all three degrees of heart block. We’ll review how they present, how to recognize them on an EKG, and basics of how to manage them. Hosted by MS4 Tania Mulherkar, this episode reviews everything about heart block that you’ll need for USMLE!

The medications used to treat Parkinson’s disease can be complicated and hard to remember. In this episode, our newest team member MS3 Rachel Garza reviews the pharmacologic options for Parkinson’s treatment, including their mechanisms and side effects. We always try to explain concepts in a way that makes sense so that reviewing is fun and easy to remember!

Part 2 of 2 in our series on autoimmune diseases with MS3 Alicia Podwojniak. In this episode, we review Sjogren’s syndrome, dermatomyositis, and polymyositis. These are commonly tested conditions which can be easy to confuse! Hopefully this review helps to clarify and lock in some key rheumatology concepts.

In this 2-part series, MS3 Alicia Podwojniak is back to review the complex and commonly tested topic of rheumatologic autoimmune diseases. In part 1, we’ll review rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and scleroderma. Stay tuned for part 2!

Do you have a hard time keeping track of all the diseases of the thyroid? So many last names – Graves, Hashimoto, Reidel, De Quervain. It’s okay if you’re a little overwhelmed! In this episode, MS3 Kate Spencer is back to sort out the different thyroid disorders. Get ready for a fun but packed review.

Disorders of the esophagus are fairly straightforward, but there are quite a few and they can be difficult to keep straight. Packed with lots of quiz questions for a relaxing yet engaging review, this episode is just the ticket to organize these various conditions in your brain. Our newest team member MS3 Kate Spencer will drill these disorders into your memory!

How does an X-ray work? How about a CT scan, or an MRI, or an ultrasound? How do you know which one to order? In this episode, our newest team member MS4 Mohit Bhide will review the fundamentals of different imaging modalities and explain how they work. Then, he’ll walk through some rapid-fire cases as tested on USMLE board exams to build on your knowledge. Let’s shed some light on diagnostic imaging!

Do you have a hard time differentiating two commonly tested autoimmune blistering skin disorders of pemphigus vulgaris and bullous pemphigoid? Which one is associated with Nikolsky sign, and which one has antibodies against the hemi-desmosomes? If you feel like you need to review these concepts and find memory devices to make them stick, tune into this episode hosted by our newest team member MS3 Alicia Podwojniak!

A major aspect of outpatient pediatric practice, and therefore also the shelf and board exams, is knowledge of childhood developmental milestones. This includes gross and fine motor skills, language, social and cognitive development, growth tracking, and sexual maturation. Review all of this material in this high-yield episode hosted by our newest MS4 team member Tania Mulherkar!

It is not the same as radiology! But believe it or not, that’s just the tip of the iceberg. In this episode, we talk about how radiation therapy works, when it is indicated, what treatments look like for patients, and how to generally counsel them about short- and long-term side effects of radiation. At some point in your career you will definitely care for a patient who is getting radiation therapy. Tune in to learn the basics!

Do you have trouble answering questions about urinary incontinence? There are so many different types, and it can be difficult to diagnose and treat. If so, tune into our latest episode hosted by MS4 Xia Liu on the different types of urinary incontinence. He’ll review the etiology, pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment to help you answer these questions correctly, and more importantly help patients with this very common problem!

In this short but sweet review on skin cancer, MS3 Julia May reviews the most common types of skin cancer, including their presentation, clinical features, and diagnosis. Tune in to review just how exactly these pesky tumors are tested on the boards.

In this episode, our newest team members and MS3s Laurel Parker and Kylie Schmitt review the primary and secondary disorders of hemostasis. They’ll talk about the steps and goals of primary and secondary hemostasis, and then get into the nitty gritty of various bleeding disorders. If you have a hard time remembering how bleeding time, platelet count, PT, and PTT are affected by all these disorders, this episode is for you!

Myasthenia gravis and Lambert Eaton syndrome are two neuromuscular disorders that are commonly tested but can be easily confused due to their similar presentations. In this episode, medical student Divya Patel reviews the separate pathophysiology and presentation of each disease so that you can tell the difference on any exam!

Aditi Kothari is back to host a thorough review of ascites – how to evaluate, diagnose, and manage ascites from various causes. If you don’t remember how to calculate SAAG, this episode is for you. After tuning in to this episode, you’ll definitely have a belly full of knowledge. Get it?

What’s the most common type of brain tumor? What’s the most common type of primary brain tumor? In this episode, our newest team member Oliver Mui reviews the presentation and pathophysiology of common brain tumors, including GBM, meningioma, schwannoma, ependymoma, and more. Tune in for a thorough, question-based review of this important USMLE topic!

Board examiners love to test on cancer drugs, because they’re a great way to connect complex disease presentations to basic biochemical mechanisms and the phases of the cell cycle. In this episode, we’ll review various classes of cancer drugs, their mechanisms, and important adverse effects so that you can build a foundation on which to tackle USMLE level questions surrounding this topic.

Do you have trouble hearing and interpreting heart sounds? Systolic vs. diastolic murmurs, S3 vs. S4 gallops? In this episode, we’ll review strategies on how to listen to common heart sounds so you’re no longer intimidated by this topic on board questions or rounds. This episode pairs well with our Season 2 episode on Valvular Heart Diseases, which delves deeper into the physiology of common heart murmurs. Welcome to Season 3 of the podcast!

We’re celebrating our season finale through a collaboration with hosts of a medical humanities podcast, What Brings You in Today! Leigh Burman & Mayra Betancourt Ponce host an interactive episode on bacterial endocarditis, reviewing the pathophysiology, presentation, and management of both acute and subacute presentations of bacterial endocarditis. Tune in for a thorough review of this highly tested topic, and definitely check out the WBYIT podcast for an entertaining and enriching study break!

Electrolyte repletion is a rather well-known task typically assigned to medicine and surgery interns on a patient’s primary team. The specifics surrounding dose and formulation are things you will quickly pick up on the job, but as a medical student it is probably more valuable to understand the importance of managing electrolytes, as well as the consequences of dysregulated electrolyte levels. In this episode we review exactly that, covering the ins and outs of potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, calcium, and sodium. If you have any qualms about handling electrolytes, let’s solve them now!

Cardiac arrest can be a harrowing phenomenon to witness both within and outside of a hospital. Advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) is a set of clinical guidelines used in managing cardiac arrest. Most residency programs will introduce their trainees to the basics of ACLS, but even as a medical student it is very important to understand the purpose of ACLS and the elements involved in delivering life-saving care. The goal of this episode is to review the components of the ACLS algorithm and discuss important considerations surrounding the care of cardiac arrest patients. Disclaimer: the purpose of this podcast is to educate and facilitate discussion, and the contents of this episode should not substitute advice from a qualified, board-certified practicing physician.

Join us for a review of some commonly seen and commonly tested biliary and pancreatic disorders. MS4 Anisha Reddy navigates through some representative vignettes, making sure to highlight key concepts and clinical pearls throughout the episode. This topic is a staple for your GI content review!

If you have a hard time remembering all the hormones as they pertain to menstruation and pregnancy, this episode is a perfect review for you. MS4 Julie Eggleton hosts this comprehensive overview of reproductive physiology in an engaging, Q&A format.

Anisha Reddy is back to host an enlightening episode on the physiology of bilirubin and many of the related disorders! Do you ever get confused by any of the following? Breast milk vs. breast feeding jaundice? Dubin-Johnson vs. Crigler-Najjar? Primary biliary vs. sclerosing cholangitis? This is your time to clarify and solidify these concepts.

Our newest team member Drashti Patel hosts a brief but comprehensive episode reviewing pleural effusions, a commonly encountered phenomenon in practice and on tests. If you’d like to solidify concepts such as Light’s Criteria for transudative vs. exudative effusions, this episode is made for you!

Sepsis is another bread-and-butter topic in medicine, and it is guaranteed to appear on boards as well in the hospital. Patients with sepsis are sick and have the potential to quickly decompensate, so timely and thorough management is key. In this episode, we’ll review the diagnostic criteria for sepsis and discuss strategies for management of sepsis. Let’s make sepsis less scary so you feel confident on your next encounter!

We are so excited to introduce the Clinical Concepts series! In these episodes, we’re taking our content review up a level so that material is geared more towards clinical rotations and the Step 2 exam. With Clinical Concepts, we’ll focus more on diagnostic and treatment strategies for various disease processes, while integrating basic concepts from Anatomy and Physiology when applicable. Tune into our first episode on atrial fibrillation to review how atrial fibrillation presents, how it is diagnosed, and the basic management algorithm. You are guaranteed to see atrial fibrillation multiple times in your career, so might as well solidify this topic now!

Cardiac pathophysiology can be one of the hardest topics to master in medical school. We’re lucky to have MS4 Anisha Reddy help out in this area by reviewing some of the basics of valvular heart disease. We’ll present lots of vignettes, provide some pearls, and cover these diseases the way they are tested on boards.

Prostate Cancer is the most common cancer (that’s not skin cancer) in men. In this episode, MS3 Gary Price reviews the diagnosis, pathophysiology, characteristics, and treatment of prostate cancer. Parts of this review transcend the scope of Step 1, but don’t worry because we’ll be sure to hone in on what’s important for the boards while giving you a comprehensive overview of the topic.

MS3 Tiana DiMasi is back to host an episode reviewing some of the most common neurodegenerative disorders, including Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, Huntington’s, frontotemporal dementia, Lewy body dementia, vascular dementia, and more. We’ll also cover some common medical conditions that can masquerade as neurodegenerative disorders. Get excited for a thorough review!

Opioids are very important in clinical practice because of their crucial use and frequent abuse. The topic is difficult to understand, but can be easily mastered once conceptually understood. In this episode, MS4 Aditi Kothari provides an overview of opioids, including their mechanisms, uses, adverse effects, and management of abuse. As always, we will ask several questions along the way to reinforce important concepts.

Step 1 Season is among us! This episode is meant to provide a little motivation and perspective for anyone who needs it in the days and weeks leading up to the exam.

MS4 Waneeza Mughees is back with an episode on gynecological malignancies! In this episode, we’ll review several topics including molar pregnancies, choriocarcinoma, as well as ovarian, vaginal, vulvar, and breast tumors. We’ll be reviewing questions in a case-based, Q&A format, so get ready to participate!

Future Neurosurgeon & current MS4 Lohit Velagapudi dissects the topic of stroke in an easy, fun, and approachable way. We’ll talk through the pathophysiology of stroke, and then cover commonly tested stroke syndromes based on their location, blood supply, and clinical presentation. This topic is definitely a brainy one, but nothing we can’t handle with a step by step approach and some fun mnemonics.

Placental disorders all sound similar and can be really confusing. In this episode, hosted by MS3 Waneeza Mughees, we will break down placental abruption, placenta accreta, vasa previa, and placenta previa with the high-yield buzzwords for each so you can get these right every time on your exams and in practice!

Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis are relatively common in patients, and they pop up frequently on the boards! There are a lot of specific findings associated with each Crohn’s and UC, and there are also a lot of overlapping findings. The two diseases can be easily confused, and it’s really important to be able to distinguish the two. In this episode, we’ll try to do just that with both silly mnemonics and some physiological explanations. As always, it’s all about understanding concepts and making key connections.

Cirrhosis is such a cool topic (if your definition of cool = highly nerdy) because damage to the liver has systemic effects that involve nearly every organ. In this episode, we’ll review the pathophysiology of cirrhosis and how this relates to physical exam and lab findings, as well as some common complications of cirrhosis that you should be aware of. We won’t cover everything as this is a very broad topic with so many possible sequelae, but if you’re studying cirrhosis, at least know this!

Do you remember anything about renal physiology? We hope so! But just in case you’d like a review, in this episode we’ll cover the basics of the nephron in the context of diuretic drug actions. We’ll touch on the mechanisms, adverse effects, and uses of the major classes of diuretic agents. This will be a big picture overview of a quite complex and intricate topic, but hopefully you’ll take away some key points that help you not just for the test, but also in clinical practice.

There’s at least 20 different types of vasculitis. We won’t go through all of them, but we’ll definitely hit some of the most common ones which you should be familiar with for the boards and the wards. As always, it’s about having a good mental map to organize the diseases into different classes. We’ll classify vasculitis based on small, medium, and large vessel diseases and try to help ingrain concepts with some silly mnemonics and a rapid-fire review at the end. Don’t worry if it doesn’t stick right away! Practice makes perfect.

It’s super important to know about the different vitamins and minerals – where they are found, what they do, and what happens if there is deficiency or excess. As we review this topic, you’ll realize how integrated the vitamins and minerals are with all those biochemical pathways we once had to learn. This is a long one, but worth it. Get ready for a fun review!

It’s hard enough to learn the different drugs, but sometimes even harder to understand how all the details from pharmacology class translate to clinical practice. In this episode, we’ll try to pare down all the different classes of anticoagulant and antiplatelet agents in a way that is applicable and easy to remember. Hopefully this episode helps make these challenging drugs seem a little less overwhelming.

Psychoactive drugs and the symptoms associated with intoxication vs. withdrawal can start to blend together. In this episode, hosted by MS3 Tiana DiMasi, we will organize these drugs into categories of major depressants, stimulants, and hallucinogens. We will compare and contrast how they work, the symptoms of intoxication and withdrawal, and treatments, so you can keep them straight for test day!

By popular request, here’s an episode reviewing some common benign dermatological conditions. We won’t hit every disease, but we will review some key diseases and concepts that are commonly tested on boards. Feel free to follow along with your review book or Google images to ingrain the images associated with each disease. For a review of malignant dermatology, check out S1E16 on Cancer Epidemiology, where we address the different types of skin cancer!

Final episode of our 3-part series on anemia! Congratulations if you’ve made it this far. In this final episode of our anemia series, we wrap up anemia with the very last category of macrocytic anemia. Often times the best way to remember the “what” is by understanding the “why.” That’s why we try to break down concepts so they make sense and are easy to remember.

Part 2 of a 3-part series. It’s getting long, but bear with us. In this episode, we tackle the second big category of anemia – the normocytic anemias. We’ll try to review each of these diseases the way they are asked on board exams, and then come up with ways to help organize and remember the various types of normocytic anemia.

Part 1 of a 3-part series. It can be so hard to keep track of all the different types of anemia. In this episode, we discuss the importance of creating a mental schema or "mind palace" to organize the various types of anemia. Then, we delve into the first branch and discuss the different types of microcytic anemia. We’ll ask lots of questions as usual to keep listeners engaged, and we’ll come up with silly but easy mnemonics to keep things straight.