Prepare yourself for
these common cardiovascular topics in Objective Structured Clinical
Examinations
The common topics that have
been tested in OSCE exams during USMLE Step 2 CS, MCCQE Part II,
PLAB 2,
OSCEs for medical students and medical school clinical finals,
Clinical Skills Assessment for International Medical Graduates are:
-
Chest
pain.
-
Myocardial ischemia/infarction: ER management.
-
Cardiac
arrest.
-
Palpitation.
-
Atrial
fibrillation.
-
Syncope.
-
Hypertension.
-
Hypotensive shock: ER management.
-
Digoxin
toxicity, ER management, and counseling setting.
-
Pericarditis.
-
Infective endocarditis.
-
Heart
failure/ generalized edema/ ankle swelling.
-
Intermittent claudication.
-
Acute/
chronic leg pain.
-
Deep
venous thrombosis.
-
Complete
cardiovascular examination.
-
ECG
interpretation.
-
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR).
 Common
cardiovascular OSCEs
Common OSCE exam cases that
have been seen in USMLE Step 2 CS,
MCCQE II, PLAB 2,
OSCEs for medical students and medical school clinical finals,
Clinical Skills Assessment for International Medical Graduates are:
(Please
note: For USMLE Step 2 CS, there is no examiner in the room.
The encounter is video monitored and taped. Thus, there will be no questions
asked in the room other than the patient's questions. However, during
physical examination, you are still required to explain what are you going
to do to the patient before physically touching him/her. All USMLE Step 2 CS
stations are of 15 minutes long and require focused history taking, physical
examination, and counseling as needed. Thus, ignore the last statement in
the following sample stations about the available time and required tasks to
do.).
-
William Hartman is a 46
year old man who comes to your office with chest pain. In the next
5/10/15 minutes take focused history and address his concerns. (Chest
pain).
-
Michael McCarthy is 52
year old man, who is a known case of hypertension. He came to your
office for his annual check up. In the next 5/10/15 minutes perform a
complete physical examination. On the last minute the examiner will stop
you and ask you questions. (Hypertension).
-
Melissa Pilgrim is a 27
year old woman who has come to your office because oh heart racing. In
the next 5/10/15 minutes take focused history and talk to her about a
possible management plan. (Palpitation).
-
Dan Greenspan is a 68
year old man who had brought to the emergency because he passed out
earlier today at home. In the next 5/10/15 minutes perform a complete
physical examination. (Syncope).
-
Jenny Davidson is a 23
year old girl who suddenly lost her consciousness today and fainted. In
the next 5/10/15 minutes take focused history and address her concerns.
(Syncope).
-
Lenny Sullivan is a 56
year old man who got a sudden bad chest pain when he was having
lunch with his family. He was brought to emergency few minutes ago. In
the next 5/10/15 minutes manage him. (MI).
-
Alfred Sabitto is a 53
year old man who comes to your office because ho got swelling of his
legs. In the next ten minutes take focused history and address his
concerns. (Heart failure).
-
David Perry is a 54 year
old diabetic man who came to your office because of leg pain after
walking. In the next 5/10/15 minutes take focused history and perform a
focused physical examination. (Claudication).
-
Eric O'Malley is a 51
year old man who came to emergency because of chest pain and
palpitation. In the next 5/10/15 minutes take focused history and
address his concerns. (Chest pain/ Atrial Fibrillation).
-
Sandra Anderson is 81
year old woman who was brought to emergency by ambulance semiconscious,
hypotensive and bradycardia. In the next 5/10/15 minutes
manage him. (Digoxin intoxication).
-
Andrew McDonald is 60
year old man who has a cardiac arrest while the ambulance is rolling
into the emergency. He is quickly brought into the resuscitation room.
In the next 5/10/15 minutes run code blue and manage him. (Cardiac
arrest).
-
Tina White is a 22 year
old woman who was referred to you by a community nurse because of high
blood pressure. In the next 5/10/15 minutes take focused history and
talk to her about a possible management plan. (Hypertension/
Pheochromocytoma).
-
Tim Brown is a 39 year
old male who came to emergency because of sharp chest pain. He feels
unwell and trouble breathing. In the next 5/10/15 minutes take focused
history and perform a focused physical examination. (Pericarditis).
Now;
What do you have to do in
these OSCE stations in order to cover the checklist?.....
What to ask to be thorough
and cover the differential diagnosis?....
How to ask in an efficient,
respectful, and empathic way?.....
How to wrap up the
station?.....
How to counsel the
patient?.....
How to perform a complete,
safe, and respectful physical examination?.....
Your biggest challenge in OSCE
exams is the limited available time.
You need to memorize sets of
questions and actions to be asked and done while you're in an autopilot
manner!
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