One Stem at a Time: High-Yield Board Review for Medical Students

About One Stem at a Time: High-Yield Board Review for Medical Students

High-Yield Board Review for Medical Students Preparing for USMLE Step 1, Step 2 CK, or COMLEX Level 1 & 2? One Stem at a Time breaks down board-style clinical vignettes the way test writers expect you to think. Each episode walks through high-yield cases, teaching you to eliminate distractors, and identify the next best step, diagnosis, or management. We focus on exam-relevant concepts, classic presentations, and test-day reasoning. Perfect for medical students who want: -Case-based USMLE & COMLEX review -Clear explanations of high-yield pathology -Step-by-step clinical reasoning

Publisher

Andrew Robertson, Sky Verzosa

Category

health & fitness

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

15 Dec 2025

Latest episode

12 Sept 2026

Latest episodes

26 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   12 Sept 2026

   When the Kidneys Take a Hit: Understanding AKI

   In this episode of One Stem at a Time, we break down one of the most commonly tested—and clinically important—renal topics: acute kidney injury (AKI). We’ll take a systematic approach to the three major categories of AKI: pre-renal, intrinsic renal, and post-renal, with a closer look at important intrinsic causes including acute tubular necrosis (ATN) and acute interstitial nephritis (AIN). We’ll also unpack the clinical reasoning behind using fractional excretion of sodium (FeNa) and fractional excretion of urea (FeUrea) to help distinguish different causes of AKI. Whether you're studying for an exam, brushing up on renal physiology, or looking to strengthen your clinical approach, this episode will help you work through AKI one stem at a time.

2. 

   12 Aug 2026

   Zebra of the Month: August 2026

   A young patient presents with acute chest pain and findings concerning for acute coronary syndrome—but something about the case doesn’t quite fit the usual picture. In this episode of One Stem at a Time: High-Yield Board Review Podcast, we work through a challenging “zebra” presentation step-by-step, using the history, risk factors, ECG, and clinical clues to uncover an uncommon cause of myocardial infarction. In this episode, you'll learn: How to approach ACS in a patient who doesn’t fit the typical risk profile The key clinical clues that point toward an uncommon diagnosis Important associations and underlying pathophysiology How to interpret the relevant diagnostic findings The management principles that separate this condition from typical ACS High-yield board-style pearls you can take straight to your next question Can you identify the diagnosis before the reveal?

3. 

   8 Aug 2026

   Rheumatology Part 3: Vasculitis

   Today we covered eight of the most testable vasculitides by recognizing their clinical patterns instead of memorizing isolated facts. If you can distinguish upper airway disease, asthma, hepatitis associations, vessel size, ANCA status, and immune complex deposition, you'll be able to answer the vast majority of vasculitis questions on Step 1, Step 2, COMLEX, and Internal Medicine shelf exams. Until next time, keep studying one stem at a time. In Episode 3 of our Rheumatology Review Series, we tackle one of the highest-yield topics in rheumatology: vasculitis. Rather than memorizing endless lists, this episode focuses on recognizing the clinical patterns that let you diagnose vasculitis quickly on USMLE Step 1, Step 2, COMLEX, and Internal Medicine shelf exams. We break down the major large-, medium-, and small-vessel vasculitides, including: Granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) – c-ANCA/PR3, sinus disease, cavitary lung nodules, and pauci-immune glomerulonephritis Microscopic polyangiitis (MPA) – p-ANCA/MPO, pulmonary hemorrhage, and RPGN without granulomatous disease Eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA) – asthma, eosinophilia, neuropathy, and cardiac involvement Giant cell arteritis (GCA) – headache, jaw claudication, vision loss, and its connection to polymyalgia rheumatica Takayasu arteritis – the classic young woman with diminished pulses and unequal blood pressures Polyarteritis nodosa (PAN) – medium-vessel disease, microaneurysms, neuropathy, hypertension, and hepatitis B IgA vasculitis – palpable purpura, abdominal pain, arthralgias, and renal disease Cryoglobulinemic vasculitis – hepatitis C, palpable purpura, neuropathy, low C4, and positive rheumatoid factor We'll also cover: Pauci-immune vs. immune complex vasculitis ANCA patterns and their antigen targets The organ involvement you can't afford to miss Induction and maintenance immunosuppression PCP prophylaxis during immunosuppressive therapy High-yield board pearls and rapid-fire questions By the end of the episode, you'll have a framework for recognizing vasculitis based on vessel size, organ involvement, ANCA status, immune complexes, and key clinical associations—instead of relying on memorized lists. Learn medicine one clinical vignette at a time. Follow One Stem at a Time for more board-review episodes covering high-yield topics for medical students and residents.

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

2 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

8 ratings

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