To Odin..........Plz Explain - drbkc

[ArchivalUser]

guys, can i have my say?

When i was studying i used to think just like u guys, i was using scores for PE, for pneumonia admission, for left ventricular hypertrophy, but then i tried the exam ...
the exam is something different !! in the exam u have to know the clues and find it quickly, u will not have time to do and calculate scores, for example if u see pt with pneumonia and confusion then admit him simply ..
i know the score u r talking about, but can u give an exam question about low risk pulmonary embolism, how could u know that it's PE if the pt is low risk (i mean u won't think about the diganosis if the question didnt give u important clues like surgery, stasis which makes him immediately high risk) ..

i had 2 questions in qbank about acetaminophen poisoning, and was asking about the next step, n-acetyl or blood level, the respond to the 2 questions were different ..

wt i mean, if u gave the question more that wt it deserves, u ll loose it !!
exam is not real life ..

look for the clues, no one can think for 8 hours, but i think everyone can still find the clues for 8 hours ...

gd luck for everybody .. u r really gd doctors and gd forum members ..

[ArchivalUser]

thx for the headsup fcbarcelona.......

then for exam purposes over simplification of PE wud be.......high clinical suspicion......3 scenarios come to mind

1. acute onset dyspnea, tachypnea, sinus tachycardia that cannot be explained by other causes
2. pleuritic chest pain with sinus tachycardia
3. acute SOB with hypotension and inc JVP

with a risk factor usually...........

best of luck with yur result!!

hope to play and beat u in the CL final this year

[ArchivalUser]

..

absolutely right wayenrooney ..
if high clinical suspicion .. like wt u said, then 1st make sure that there is hypoxia (by ABGs, which will take very short time) and if it's there then 1st heparin then 2nd confirm the diagnosis by spiral CT ..

by the way, i want u to play with Real Madrid to see how the fans will welcome ronaldo ..

[ArchivalUser]

thanks fcbarcelona for this morale boosting post..

we shouldnt get carried away from the concept of 'boardsmanship' while dealing with usmle.. its not 100% knowledge based exam.. reflexes, catching the clues, modest level of critical thinking, is the recepie for the big day.

dealing with questions is a bit different from dealing with patients..

[ArchivalUser]

@ fcbarcelona............ yea that wud be interesting.....can meet in the quarters ......but im sure he wud be welcome as he did a gr8 job there and really speaking did not leave for the money like many others.....

btw he had a gr8 day today (2 goals)

[ArchivalUser]

just stay away from our fabregas pls.. great posts and discussion anyways, and why aren't u in step 3 forum wayne rooney we need u thr also