Category: Step 1
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USMLE® Step 1 Question of the Day: Epinephrine response
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Let’s examine a clinical scenario involving a 73-year-old man who experiences hypotension during surgery following bowel perforation repair. Can you identify the potential mechanisms leading to his decreased response to repeated doses of epinephrine despite minimal intraoperative blood loss? Reflect on the pharmacological principles at play, including receptor desensitization and…
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USMLE® Step 1 Question of the Day: Prostate nodule
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Today, we’re looking into prostate cancer, specifically exploring the most common sites of metastasis and their anatomical relevance. Can you identify these locations and discuss the underlying reasons for their prevalence? Reflect on the anatomical pathways and structures involved in the spread of this disease. Strengthen your grasp of this…
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The Best Resolutions for Healthcare Students in 2025
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Welcome, future clinicians and caregivers, to 2025! While it may seem old-fashioned, setting resolutions is more than just making a list to forget by the end of January. It’s about sculpting your path to becoming the best version of yourself, both personally and professionally, while setting the stage for a…
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USMLE® Step 1 Question of the Day: Pancreatitis
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Today, let’s focus on USMLE Step 1, with a question on acute pancreatitis. Can you recommend the appropriate diagnostic investigations, interpret the findings to establish a diagnosis, and describe the essential treatment options? Are you able to recall and recognize the clinical features and complications associated with this condition? Sharpen…
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USMLE® Step 1 Question of the Day: Cardiac catheterization
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Prepare for your USMLE Step 1 with a question focusing on Eisenmenger syndrome. Can you summarize the pathophysiology of this condition and recognize its key clinical features? Sharpen your understanding of this critical cardiovascular topic! A 25-year-old man is referred to a cardiologist for evaluation for intermittent cyanosis and exercise…
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USMLE® Step 1 Question of the Day: Viral hepatitis
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Prepare for the USMLE Step 1 exam with this detailed question about a 28-year-old woman experiencing severe abdominal pain and jaundice after returning from a trip to Southeast Asia. What family of viruses causes patchy necrosis of the liver? Test your knowledge and deepen your understanding of viral infections. A…
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USMLE® Step 1 Question of the Day: Histologic analysis
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Prepare for the USMLE Step 1 exam with this detailed question about a 57-year-old woman with malaise and intermittent fevers over the past several weeks. Can you correctly identify which of the following findings is most likely to be demonstrated on histologic analysis? A 57-year-old woman presents to her primary care…
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USMLE® Step 1 Question of the Day: Antidepressants
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This USMLE Step 1 Question of the Day involves a 36-year-old patient for evaluation of treatment-resistant depression. None of their previous medications helped improved their symptoms. Based on the findings, identify the most likely diagnosis. A 36-year-old presents to their outpatient provider for evaluation of treatment-resistant depression. They have previously…
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USMLE® Step 1 Question of the Day: Cognitive decline
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This USMLE Step 1 Question of the Day involves a 60-year-old woman with progressive cognitive decline, fluctuating mental clarity, mild tremors, slowed movements, and balance issues. She has also been seen conversing with her deceased partner. Based on these clinical features, identify the most likely diagnosis. A 60-year-old woman comes…
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USMLE® Step 1 Question of the Day: Hepatosplenomegaly
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Prepare for USMLE Step 1 with this case! Learn about a USMLE Step 1 question involving a 62-year-old man with headaches, blurry vision, and numbness in his hands. The case study reveals the diagnosis of Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia, focusing on its pathophysiology, symptoms, and diagnostic criteria. Understand the significance of elevated…
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USMLE® Step 1 Question of the Day: Sunlight sensitivity
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Prepare for USMLE Step 1 with this case! Learn about xeroderma pigmentosum, a rare genetic disorder causing extreme sensitivity to sunlight and increased risk of skin cancer due to defective DNA repair mechanisms. Understand its clinical manifestations, including pigmented skin changes, ocular damage, and neurological complications, for accurate diagnosis and…
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USMLE® Step 1 Question of the Day: Knee pain
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Discover the case of a 42-year-old man with knee pain, red eyes, and foot lesions post-UTI treatment. Could it be reactive arthritis? A 42-year-old man comes to his primary care physician’s office for evaluation of right knee pain, red eyes, and lesions on soles of his feet. The patient states…
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USMLE® Step 1 Question of the Day: Hypotonia
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Learn about Tay-Sachs disease, an autosomal recessive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by regression of motor milestones, seizures, and a distinctive cherry-red macula. An 8-month-old girl is brought to the emergency department with a seizure-like episode. The parents state the patient started contracting her upper and lower extremities for 30 seconds. Her…
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USMLE® Step 1 Question of the Day: Thyroidectomy
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This week, we are sharing another USMLE® Step 1-style practice question to test your knowledge of medical topics. Today’s case focuses on a 56-year-old woman who reported a sensation of numbness on her mouth and intermittent twitching of her extremities. Physical examination demonstrates an intact incision over the anterior neck without…
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USMLE® Step 1 Question of the Day: Rule of nines
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The Rule of Nines is a method used in emergency departments to quickly estimate the extent of burns on a patient’s body. This USMLE® Step 1 Question of the Day will test your knowledge on this topic. A 25-year-old man is brought to the emergency department with severe burns on…
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USMLE® Step 1 Question of the Day: Systolic ejection murmur
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Learn about a USMLE® Step 1 question of the day related to systolic ejection murmur, specifically focusing on aortic stenosis. Discover the characteristics of this murmur and how to recognize it during auscultation. A 66-year-old man presents to a cardiologist for evaluation of a new heart murmur discovered at a…
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USMLE® Step 1 Question of the Day: Rehabilitation
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This week, we are sharing another USMLE® Step 1-style practice question to test your knowledge of medical topics. Today’s case focuses on a 57-year-old man experiencing anxiety, hand tremor, and nausea post-total knee replacement, now in the emergency department. With a continuous morphine infusion and a history of advanced liver…
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USMLE® Step 1 Question of the Day: Convex lesion
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This week, we are sharing another USMLE® Step 1-style practice question to test your knowledge of medical topics. Today’s case focuses on a 25-year-old man who suffered head trauma in a bar altercation, resulting in loss of consciousness. Despite initial refusal for medical evaluation, he later exhibits alarming symptoms, including…
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USMLE® Step 1 Question of the Day: Fragile X syndrome
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This week, we are sharing another USMLE® Step 1-style practice question to test your knowledge of medical topics. Today’s case focuses on a 6-year-old adopted boy diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder and Fragile X syndrome. Delve into the discussion with the physician, exploring the family pedigrees that unravel the genetic…
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USMLE® Step 1 Question of the Day: Sleep episodes
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This week, we are sharing another USMLE® Step 1-style practice question to test your knowledge of medical topics. Today’s case focuses on a 6-month-old infant facing poor weight gain, weak cry, and muscle hypotonia. With genetic work-up pointing to a PDHA1 gene mutation and elevated serum lactate levels, can you…
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USMLE® Step 1 Question of the Day: Maternal infection
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This week, we are sharing another USMLE® Step 1-style practice question to test your knowledge of medical topics. Today’s case focuses on a 28-month-old with unusual clinical features. Can you identify the most likely cause behind the disseminated rash, hepatosplenomegaly, and distinctive facial and skeletal abnormalities?Test your diagnostic skills with…
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USMLE® Step 1 Question of the Day: Fundoscopy findings
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This week, we are sharing another USMLE® Step 1-style practice question to test your knowledge of medical topics. Today’s case focuses on a 66-year-old man with altered mental status, headache, and more. Can you identify the fundoscopy finding that affects a diagnostic lumbar puncture? Test your diagnostic skills with this USMLE Step 1…
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USMLE® Step 1 Question of the Day: Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome
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This week, we are sharing another USMLE® Step 1-style practice question to test your knowledge of medical topics. Today’s case focuses on a 23-year-old man who collapsed and started having tremors in the upper and lower extremities during a festival. Can you figure it out? A 23-year-old man is brought to the…
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USMLE® Step 1 Question of the Day: Compressed nerve
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This week, we are sharing another USMLE® Step 1-style practice question to test your knowledge of medical topics. Today’s case focuses on a 35-year-old marathon runner with burning foot pain. Learn how to identify the underlying nerve compression causing his symptoms. Test your diagnostic skills with this USMLE Step 1 question. A 35-year-old…
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USMLE® Step 1 Question of the Day: Inward deviation of the eye
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This week, we are sharing another USMLE® Step 1-style practice question to test your knowledge of medical topics. Today’s case focuses on a 6-month-old boy which is brought to the clinic for a well-child visit. His mother expresses concern that there is inward deviation of his left eye. The patient most likely…
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USMLE® Step 1 Question of the Day: Nerve roots
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This week, we are sharing another USMLE® Step 1-style practice question to test your knowledge of medical topics. Today’s case focuses on a study delving into muscle anatomy through a human cadaveric model. Explore the intricate innervation of upper extremity, chest, and back muscles as a nerve root is stimulated, revealing specific…
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USMLE® Step 1 Question of the Day: Spinal cord structure
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Learn how a skilled pathologist meticulously analyzes cross-sectional slides of the spinal cord, uncovering the significance behind the asterisk-marked structure. Discover the intricate functions woven into this essential neural component. Eager to delve deeper? Find out more about the fascinating realm of neural anatomy, unraveling the complexities that define spinal…
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USMLE® Step 1 Question of the Day: Lower extremity pain
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Discover the case of a 57-year-old man with acute-onset right lower extremity pain in the emergency department. Explore the medical history and symptoms that led to a concerning diagnosis. Learn about the histological findings that indicate irreversible cellular injury in the affected extremity. Find out more here. A 57-year-old man presents…
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USMLE® Step 1 Question of the Day: Frank-Starling curve
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Learn about the Frank-Starling curve and how certain scenarios can alter its shape in patient’s cardiovascular health. Discover how Curve 2 represents a closer resemblance, and gain insights into optimizing cardiac function. Find out more here. A patient’s resting Frank-Starling curve is shown below and denoted as Curve 1. Which…
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USMLE® Step 1 Question of the Day: Lung ratios
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Learn about the ventilation, perfusion, and V/Q ratio in a 47-year-old man who experienced shortness of breath after returning from Germany. Find out the implications of his medical history, symptoms, and diagnostic findings. A 47-year-old man presents to the emergency department for evaluation of shortness of breath. The symptoms developed…