The Clinical Problem Solvers

View Top 200 Chart

Back to Rankings Page

Courses
**The Clinical Problem Solvers**

The Clinical Problem Solvers is a multi-modal venture that works to disseminate and democratize the stories and science of diagnostic reasoning
Twitter: @CPSolvers
Website: clinicalproblemsolving.com

Latest Episodes:

Episode 98: Spaced Learning Series – Syncope and Splenomegaly Jun 09, 2020

Show notes

https://clinicalproblemsolving.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/SLS_Syncope-and-Splenomegaly_Sharmin_FINAL-Audacity.mp3

Steph, Sharmin, Arsalan and Dan share a case of syncope and splenomegaly – let’s practice those schemas together!

Download CPSolvers App here

Patreon website

Splenomegaly Schema

Syncope Schema

Episode 96: RLR #7 – Acute Liver Injury Jun 04, 2020

Show notes

https://clinicalproblemsolving.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/RLR-7-ALI.m4a

Episode description

Reza and Rabih tackle a case of acute liver injury.

One RLR episode will be freely available each month but the remainder will be uploaded on Patreon only.

Why?

More about the RLR series here.

You can find the article referenced in the episode Here

**Episode 95: Human Dx unknown with Sharmin & Mercy residents – Hypernatremia** May 27, 2020
Show notes
https://clinicalproblemsolving.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/HDx_Mercy__Sharmin_PREAU_UPDATED.m4a
**Episode Description**
Dr. Julia Burns presents a Human Dx unknown to Sharmin and Mercy residents – Drs. Brady Alling and Aaron Sabal.
**Download CPSolvers App here**
**Patreon website**
**Human Dx case**
**Dr. Brady Alling**
Brady is a PGY 3 at Mercy Health in Muskegon, MI. Next year, he will be doing a fellowship in pulmonary & critical care in Colorado. His favorite thing about internal medicine is is the profound sense of accomplishment he feels when replacing electrolytes that are just slightly below the normal range.
**Dr. Aaron Sabal**
Aaron was born and raised in Westland, MI (Detroit metro area). He went to Wayne State University for my undergraduate studies thinking he would be a physical therapist, massage therapist, and dietitian (yes, all three of those). However, about one week prior to starting my massage therapy program, he had an epiphany and decided to go to medical school instead. He was fortunate to be accepted to MSUCOM and fell in love with Internal Medicine. His passions include all things medical. In particular, he is passionate about medical education, how best to help physicians learn, diagnostic reasoning, and creating an environment of learning where no one is afraid to express what they’re thinking. When he is not pursuing his love of learning, He is spending time with his wife and their boys (2 cats and a dog), playing with his animals, doing DIY home-improvement projects, exploring national parks, or reading a good non-medical book with a cat or dog in his lap begging for his love and attention.
**Dr. Julia Burns**
Julia is currently a geriatrics fellow at Mount Sinai Hospital in Manhattan. She earned her undergraduate degree from Fairfield University. She then went on to obtain a master of science in biomedical sciences from New York Medical College followed by her medical degree at Albany Medical College. She completed her internal medicine residency at NYU Winthrop Hospital on Long Island. Her academic interests include medical student and resident education.

**Episode 94: Human Dx unknown with Arsalan & Utah residents – ankle and hand pain with swelling** May 25, 2020
Show notes
https://clinicalproblemsolving.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Human-Dx_Utah_Arsalan-FINAL.m4a
Dr. Kavea Panneerselvam presents a Human Dx unknown to Arsalan and Utah residents – Drs. Marja Anton and Guinn Dunn.
**Download CPSolvers App here**
**Patreon website**
**Human Dx case**
**Dr. Marja Anton**
Marja is a chief medical resident at the University of Utah. She is originally from
Chicago, IL and received her undergraduate degree from the University of
Wisconsin-Madison (go Badgers!). She then moved back to Chicago for medical
school at Loyola University Stritch School of Medicine. In her free time, you can find her traveling with her husband in their camper van, rock climbing with friends, tending to her garden or listening to the Clinical Problem Solvers! Next year she is excited to stay on at the University of Utah as an academic hospitalist.
**Dr. Guinn Dunn**
Guinn is a first year Internal Medicine resident at the University of Utah. She was
born and raised in Salt Lake City, received her undergraduate degree at the
University of Puget Sound, then headed back to Utah for medical school and
residency. She is interested in academic hospital medicine and quality improvement. She enjoys skiing, backpacking, and is looking forward to the birth of her first kiddo in a few weeks.
**Dr. Kavea Panneerselvam**
Kavea Panneerselvam is about to complete her intern year at Baylor College of medicine in Houston, TX. She grew up in the Houston area and completed her undergraduate at the University of Texas at Austin and is a proud Longhorn, and obtained her medical degree at UT Houston. After residency she hopes to pursue a career in gastroenterology. Specifically, she has an interest in IBD. In her free time she enjoys playing board games, discovering new movies, and making art for her friends and family.

Episode 91 – RLR series – a special announcement May 23, 2020

Show notes

https://clinicalproblemsolving.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Parteon-Announcement-Final.m4a

Episode description

Reza and Rabih have an important announcement about the RLR series.

More about the RLR series here.

**Episode 90: Clinical unknown with Rabih and Reza at MUSC – fever** May 21, 2020
Show notes
https://clinicalproblemsolving.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/MUSC-FINAL-.m4a
Rabih and Reza tackle a clinical unknown at MUSC with host, Dr. Marc Heincelman.
**Download CPSolvers App here**
**Patreon website**
**Schema #1**
**Schema #2**
**Dr. Marc Heincelman**
Marc Heincelman is an assistant professor within the Department of Medicine at the Medical University of South Carolina, where he also serves as director of the Medicine Clerkship and Acting Internship. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Pittsburgh, medical degree from Loyola University of Chicago, and completed his combined internal medicine/pediatrics residency at the Medical University of South Carolina in 2014. His passion for medical education stems from his mission to motivate and inspire learners to become the best physicians possible for their future patients.
**Case Summary**
A middle-aged woman with a history of treated breast cancer and unspecified uveitis presented with subacute fever, arthralgias, and headache. She was found to have elevated inflammatory markers, extensive lymphadenopathy, and a cholestatic pattern of liver injury with an unrevealing evaluation for infectious and autoimmune pathologies. She remained febrile despite broad-spectrum antibiotics. She was then started on empiric doxycycline, which resulted in prompt resolution of her fevers. A serologic test for *Rickettsia rickettsii* returned positive, confirming the diagnosis of “spotless” Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.
**Teaching Points:**
Rocky mountain spotted fever(RMSF) is an acute, life-threatening febrile illness caused by the intracellular pathogen,*Rickettsia rickettsii*. Endemic to the southeastern and south central regions of the United States, it is transmitted by ticks (esp *Dermacentor* ). The classic triad of symptoms includes fever, headache, and rash (often beginning on the wrists and ankles, progressing from maculopapular to petechial). Roughly 10-12% of cases may present without rash (i.e., “spotless” RMSF), more commonly reported in elderly and/or African American patients. Given its high mortality rate, prompt initiation of empiric doxycycline is important for improving outcomes.

**Episode – 89 – Virtual Morning Report #50 with Drs. Kimberly Manning and Gurpreet Dhaliwal – Foot Drop** May 19, 2020
Show notes
https://clinicalproblemsolving.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/51920_VMR_Audio-QT.m4a
**Episode description**
Drs. Kimberly Manning and Gurpreet Dhaliwal discuss an unknown case as part of the 50th CPSolvers Virtual Morning Report.
**Virtual Morning Report**
Click here to learn more about joining VMR and learn together, live.
**Dr. Kimberly Manning**
Kimberly D. Manning, MD is a general internist/hospitalist who serves as Associate Vice Chair of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for the Department of Medicine at Emory University School of Medicine. Manning was recently promoted to Professor of Medicine and additionally serves as residency program director for the Transitional Year Residency Program at Emory. She has a strong commitment to supporting underrepresented minorities in medicine, serving underserved populations, and creating better understanding of our patients and each other through storytelling and narrative medicine. A huge fan of the CP Solvers, Dr Manning is as enthusiastic about being a teacher as she is being a lifelong learner.
**Dr. Gurpreet Dhaliwal**
Dr. Dhaliwal is a clinician-educator and Professor of Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco. He is the site director of the internal medicine clerkship at the San Francisco VA Medical Center, where he teaches medical students and residents in the emergency department, urgent care clinic, inpatient wards, outpatient clinic, and morning report. His academic interests are the cognitive processes underlying diagnostic reasoning and clinical problem-solving and the study of diagnostic expertise. Dr. Dhaliwal enjoys playing pickup basketball with his two sons … even though both can handily defeat him
**Case Summary**
A 69-year-old man with a history of prior cerebrovascular accident (CVA) presented with acute onset right leg weakness and paresthesias. Laboratory analysis was notable for elevated inflammatory markers. A magnetic resonance image of the brain showed a ring-enhancing lesion in the left parietal lobe, with fine needle aspiration revealing gram positive cocci in chains. Cultures grew *Streptococcus intermedius* (a member of the *S. anginosus*group), and the patient was diagnosed with a bacterial brain abscess.
**Teaching Points:**
Brain abscesses can be caused by bacteria, fungi, and parasites. Bacterial brain abscesses can arise via contiguous spread of bacteria from head and neck sources or by hematogenous routes. The causative organism often varies with the underlying immune status of the host. Among immunocompetent hosts, the most common organisms are *Staphylococcus*and *Streptococcus* spp (e.g., *S anginosus*). Neurosurgical sampling may be required to identify the pathogen and achieve source control.
Lacunar infarctions are an important form of ischemic strokes (representing ~20%) caused by cerebral small vessel disease. Pathophysiologically, the most important risk factor is uncontrolled hypertension, which can lead to small vessel injury and subsequent occlusion. Most lacunar strokes involve the basal ganglia, pons, and subcortical white matter structures (e.g., internal capsule). While many clinical syndromes have been described, the 5 most common include pure motor, pure sensory, mixed sensorimotor, ataxic hemiparesis, and dysarthria-clumsy hand syndrome.

Gurpreet Dhaliwal 2013 — **Episode – 89 – Virtual Morning Report #50 with Drs. Kimberly Manning and Gurpreet Dhaliwal – Foot Drop** May 19, 2020
Show notes
https://clinicalproblemsolving.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/51920_VMR_Audio-QT.m4a
**Episode description**
Drs. Kimberly Manning and Gurpreet Dhaliwal discuss an unknown case as part of the 50th CPSolvers Virtual Morning Report.
**Virtual Morning Report**
Click here to learn more about joining VMR and learn together, live.
**Dr. Kimberly Manning**
Kimberly D. Manning, MD is a general internist/hospitalist who serves as Associate Vice Chair of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for the Department of Medicine at Emory University School of Medicine. Manning was recently promoted to Professor of Medicine and additionally serves as residency program director for the Transitional Year Residency Program at Emory. She has a strong commitment to supporting underrepresented minorities in medicine, serving underserved populations, and creating better understanding of our patients and each other through storytelling and narrative medicine. A huge fan of the CP Solvers, Dr Manning is as enthusiastic about being a teacher as she is being a lifelong learner.
**Dr. Gurpreet Dhaliwal**
Dr. Dhaliwal is a clinician-educator and Professor of Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco. He is the site director of the internal medicine clerkship at the San Francisco VA Medical Center, where he teaches medical students and residents in the emergency department, urgent care clinic, inpatient wards, outpatient clinic, and morning report. His academic interests are the cognitive processes underlying diagnostic reasoning and clinical problem-solving and the study of diagnostic expertise. Dr. Dhaliwal enjoys playing pickup basketball with his two sons … even though both can handily defeat him
**Case Summary**
A 69-year-old man with a history of prior cerebrovascular accident (CVA) presented with acute onset right leg weakness and paresthesias. Laboratory analysis was notable for elevated inflammatory markers. A magnetic resonance image of the brain showed a ring-enhancing lesion in the left parietal lobe, with fine needle aspiration revealing gram positive cocci in chains. Cultures grew *Streptococcus intermedius* (a member of the *S. anginosus*group), and the patient was diagnosed with a bacterial brain abscess.
**Teaching Points:**
Brain abscesses can be caused by bacteria, fungi, and parasites. Bacterial brain abscesses can arise via contiguous spread of bacteria from head and neck sources or by hematogenous routes. The causative organism often varies with the underlying immune status of the host. Among immunocompetent hosts, the most common organisms are *Staphylococcus*and *Streptococcus* spp (e.g., *S anginosus*). Neurosurgical sampling may be required to identify the pathogen and achieve source control.
Lacunar infarctions are an important form of ischemic strokes (representing ~20%) caused by cerebral small vessel disease. Pathophysiologically, the most important risk factor is uncontrolled hypertension, which can lead to small vessel injury and subsequent occlusion. Most lacunar strokes involve the basal ganglia, pons, and subcortical white matter structures (e.g., internal capsule). While many clinical syndromes have been described, the 5 most common include pure motor, pure sensory, mixed sensorimotor, ataxic hemiparesis, and dysarthria-clumsy hand syndrome.

Episode 88 – RLR – Transient Loss of Consciousness May 14, 2020

Show notes

https://clinicalproblemsolving.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/RLR-Transient-Loss-of-Conciousness.mp3

Episode description

Reza and Rabih talk through a case

RLR #4 – Transient loss of consciousness
A 43-year-old man with a history of epilepsy, coronary artery disease, and pulmonary sarcoidosis presented after experiencing an unheralded transient loss of consciousness. His initial evaluation revealed no abnormalities. Ambulatory cardiac event monitoring demonstrated an episode of complete heart block, and myocardial perfusion imaging showed a focal perfusion defect in the left ventricle (thought to represent a prior myocardial infarction versus sarcoidosis). He underwent pacemaker and implanted cardiac defibrillator (ICD) placement and was discharged home.

Teaching Point:

Small-cell lung cancer(SCLC) is a primary pulmonary malignancy of epithelial origin that most commonly occurs in older patients with long-standing smoking histories. Clinically, it typically presents aggressively with pulmonary symptoms (e.g., cough, dyspnea, hemoptysis), manifestations related to intra- or extra-thoracic spread, or with a variety of paraneoplastic syndromes (e.g., endocrine, dermatologic, neurologic). Prognosis is poor, with median survival without treatment being 2-4 months.
Sarcoidosis is a multisystem granulomatous disease that most often affects the lungs, skin, and eyes.Cardiac manifestationsof sarcoidosis include arrhythmias, cardiomyopathy, sudden cardiac death, and, rarely, coronary artery vasculitis. Diagnosis can be made by endomyocardial biopsy or with compatible imaging findings (e.g., delayed gadolinium enhancement on cardiac MRI) or cardiac manifestations (e.g., complete heart block, ventricular arrhythmias, or otherwise unexplained heart failure) in a patient with known extra-cardiac sarcoidosis.

Episode 87 – RLR – Scrotal Pain May 14, 2020

Show notes

https://clinicalproblemsolving.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/RLR-Scrotal-Pain.mp3

Episode description

Reza and Rabih talk through a case

RLR #3 – Scrotal pain
A 75-year-old man with a history of Alzheimers dementia presented with 2 weeks of bilateral scrotal pain. Genital exam was unremarkable. Chest radiography revealed a right lower lobe opacity and computed tomography of the abdomen was notable for diffuse retroperitoneal lymphadenopathy. Biopsy was performed of a mediastinal lymph node which revealed findings consistent with metastatic small-cell lung cancer.

Teaching Points:

Acute scrotal pain is a common complaint encountered in the emergency department and can be caused by pathology within the scrotum, abdomen (i.e., inguinal hernia), or referred from the retroperitoneum. The most common causes of acute scrotal pain include torsion of the testicular appendage, epididymitis, and testicular torsion. The initial evaluation is focused on excluding the presence of testicular torsion (a surgical emergency) by exam and, often times, doppler ultrasonography.

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

The Clinical Problem Solvers

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected