Surviving 4

th
Term
Joe Kim
Grand Marshal
Iota Epsilon Alpha
www.ieasgu.org
This is a compilation from several IEA
members
Everyone has their own opinions
Therefore, take advice with a grain of salt
Adapt it to your own style
Disclaimer!
Helpful Hint
Biggest mistake:
Overloading with resources
Stick with a maximum of 2-3 things
When in doubt, GO BACK TO LECTURE
SLIDES!
Virtually everything they tested was in
the lecture slides!
Pathology What to Study
Lecture notes - #1 priority
Morphology, etiology and pathogenesis 3 most
important
Epidemiology ages for select diseases
Complications
Most commons
Similarities between diseases
Stages of diseases lobar pneumonia, MI, etc.
TNM Staging for Gen Path ONLY!!!
Lab slides:
Images virtually EVERY image on the exam was from lab!
Images from lecture were NOT on our test
Pathoma or Goljian are very helpful
Robbins for clarification
Path Complete for Gen Path
Harry Potter Slides (good for Path Lab)
Rajs Slides:
Very well organized
Combination of lecture slides, lab images, and
Robbins
A LOT of information
Pathology What to Study
Pathology Practice Questions
Robbins Review:
Great vignettes but easier questions
WebPath by Utahs Med School:
Similar to Robbins Review
UWorld and USMLERx questions:
Great vignettes and Step 1 prep
Do after Gen Path
Do not know many people who used Pre-Test or BRS
Pathology Lab
Slides
Use Lecture notes / Robbins
Harry Potter is a good resource here!
If you dont put something important in, the tutor will let
you know
Use the brown boxes in Robbins for your morphology
Dont go crazy on epidemiology, treatment or course of
disease
Dont spend too much time preparing slides
< 30 min per slide
KNOW THESE IMAGES FOR THE EXAMS
Pathology - Extra Work
Concept Maps
Just get something in: no need for a masterpiece
Draw it by hand, and spend no more than 15 minutes
If its not good enough, they will allow you to redo it
CPCs
Dont let these bog you down
Doesnt need to be much greater than a page long
Dont spend too much time on them.
Just try to be able to contribute to the group discussion
Identify
Peripheral blood smear
Morphology
RBCs: Spherical shape, lack central zone of pallor
Leukocyte
Platelet
Disease
Hereditary Spherocytosis
Etiology
Inherited defect in RBC cytoskeleton proteins
Commonly autosomal dominant trait, 25% have more serious autosomal recessive form
Lack of membrane stability allows loss of membrane fragments while retaining volume,
becomes spherical
Pathogenesis
Limited deformability in spheroid shape
Sequestration and destruction in spleen, congestion of cords of bilroth = splenomegaly
Increased RBC destruction leads to anemia
Hyperplasia of marrow red cell progenitors, increase in RBC production, reticulocytosis
Structural
Changes
Abnormality in proteins that make up mesh like suportive structure.
Autosomal dominant: defect in ankyrin
Autosomal recessive: defect in spectrin
Other Sites
& Diseases
Hemolytic anemias, sickle cell anemia
Signs and
Symptoms

Anemia, splenomegaly, jaundice
Investigation
RBCs show increased osmotic fragility in hypotonic salt solution
Peripheral blood smear
Course
Risk of aplastic crisis, B19 Parvovirus infection
Hemosiderosis
Highlights
Hereditary disease affecting mesh like supportive skeleton
Spherical shape and corresponding loss of flexibility, increased destruction and anemia

See Robbins: Pg _424
Module Heme Slide 4 Group 34 Not Revised March 2014 Joemama
Vignette: Disco Steve presents to the clinic
saying he has Disco in his blood, but he has
been getting tired more frequently. After a
blood smear you agree that he has disco in his
blood, but the disco balls aren't a good thing.
Q1. What is the cause of pathogenesis?

1)Macrocytic RBC
2)Hypochromic RBC
3)Loss of pliability and flexibility
4)Lack of oxygen transport
The Exams
Virtually all of the information is from lecture slides!!
Exam 1: General Pathology + 2 Systems
General Path: Easier with more 1
st
order questions
They tell you the diagnosis / disease!
DO WELL ON THIS EXAM
Exam 2: Systemic
Probably the most difficult exam I took at SGU
They curved it a LOT, so dont freak out like I did afterwards
They do NOT tell you the diagnosis / disease!
Lots of questions on: etiology, complications, pathogenesis
3
rd
/4
th
+ order questions
Microbiology
Lecture notes - #1 priority
Gram staining and morphology
Gram positive and negative flow charts in First Aid
Enzymes, virulence factors and agars
Epidemiology for pneumonia, meningitis, and STIs
Foods and fomites
Virus classes and morphology (naked vs. enveloped)
Most commons
Keywords and specific differentiating factors
Know the first 2 weeks material very well
Student-made Tables / Charts
Make sure to cross-reference with lecture slides!
Picmonic:
I used it for a couple of bugs.
Some people loved it!
First Aid:
Very organized and has good charts
What not to study:
Specific treatment for specific microbes (but know them for Gen micro)
If they only mention the bug once and dont give specifics about it, dont spend
time memorizing it.
Microbiology
Article quizzes:
Read through the article twice making highlights of what you
think is testable, then study your highlights
Reading comprehension test
Small Groups:
Prepare so you can discuss
Is luck on your side?
10 points was full credit.
15 points if the tutor was impressed.
It really depended on the tutor
Be warned... they might change it(?)
Microbiology
It is possible to get an A
CPD
CPD
Do NOT underestimate this class.
Written test:
Random facts (not even the bolded facts) from
the lab manual and lecture slides
Start reading the lab manual, or else youll end
up cramming hundred of pages of information
Practical / OSCE:
Ashleys Amazing Notes annotate it!
Practice!!
If your brain is fried, find a partner, go to upper Taylor and
practice!
Inspection is deceivingly difficult
Time yourself for:
History taking! (half your OSCE grade!)
Vitals! (Its harder than it looks!)
WIIPEEPS takes at least 30-40 seconds!
CPD
Quizlet'ers:
http://quizlet.com/misunderkicked
Other resources:
1) Pre- Read POCKET for your weeks chapter Sunday Night (its short guys)
2) Attend Lecture - pay attention annotating up RAJ slides OR taking notes on slides given
3) Go disease by disease getting info from a searchable BIG Robbins - skip diseases not covered in
objectives. Read info in entire section of disease including the most important 'boxes' (Ie search
Sarcoidosis - read that whole section)
4) Use Harry Potter in lab while people are talking - better yet mandate people in your group USE
IT when they make their slides so you dont miss something...HP is a crap shoot some good stuff +
some wtfs
5) Pathoma is 4-5 pages per chapter - why the hell wouldnt you just read the chapter? I did for
some systems, others I didnt....its up to you. Did it help? I felt RAJ + Robbins was better for THIS
class.
6) Saturday should be Review day ... the day you actually learn the material. You got a gist during
the week now you memorize. Id do some Robbins Review and talk over RAJ slides with friends.
Sunday Id hit up Micro and go through any Path questions I could find and again RAJ slides
7) Before EXAM re-read your Pocket Chapters it takes like 3hrs to read for an entire exams worth
of material (dont do the general path chapters just systemic)
An Upper Termer s Advice:
Kick some ass!
Any Questions?
Contact me: jo3kim@gmail.com
Visit: www.ieasgu.org to download
this presentation