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Showing posts with label gastrointestinal (GI). Show all posts
Showing posts with label gastrointestinal (GI). Show all posts

SHELF / USMLE Step 2 Practice Questions > Internal Medicine > Gastroenterology

SHELF / USMLE Step 2 Practice Questions > Internal Medicine > Gastroenterology

26 Case based vignette style practice questions from the American College of Physicians (ACP) with answers & thorough explanations - DOWNLOAD the .pdf

Want more great practice questions for the Medicine Shelf Exam? Go with MKSAP for Students 3

SHELF / USMLE Step 2 Practice Questions - GI (set #1)

SHELF / USMLE Step 2 Practice Questions > Internal Medicine > GI

Q1) A 28-year-old woman is evaluated because of an abnormal total serum bilirubin level noticed when she underwent required labs for life insurance qualification. Her past medical history is remarkable only for mild asthma, and her only current medications are an albuterol inhaler which she uses less than once per month, and a PPI for mild GERD. Physical examination is normal. Lab values are as follows: hemoglobin - 13.7 g/dL, MCV - 87, total bili - 2.5 mg/dL, direct bili 0.2 mg/dL, AST - 24 U/L, ALT - 21 U/L, alk-P - 78 U/L. What is the appropriate action for managing this patient at this time?

a) discontinue the PPI
b) recheck liver enzymes in 3 months
c) evaluate for the presence of hemolysis
d) order an abdominal ultrasound
e) no additional testing is warranted at this time

Q2) A 50-year-old woman has her 1st colonoscopy as part of her heath maintenance screening. She has no personal or family history of colorectal cancer. During the procedure, a 2-cm villous adenoma in the sigmoid colon is excised. In addition to counseling regarding screening of family members, which of the following is most appropriate at this time?
a) repeat colonoscopy in 6 months
b) repeat colonoscopy in 3 years
c) repeat colonoscopy in 5 years
d) repeat colonoscopy in 10 years
e) annual fecal occult blood testing

Q3) A 32-year-old woman presents with fatigue, jaundice, and slight fever for the past week. Her past medical history is significant only for hypothyroidism for which she has taken levothyroxine for the past 10 years. She traveled to Mexico 5 months ago and received one dose of hepatitis A vaccine before her trip. Physical examination discloses mild jaundice and hepatomegaly. Her labs are as follows: CBC - normal, TFTs - normal, AST - 300 U/L, ALT - 435 U/L, Alk-P - 175 U/L, Tbili - 2.3 mg/dL. Which of the following studies will most likely help establish the diagnosis?
a) antimitochondrial antibody
b) antinuclear antibody and anti–smooth muscle antibody
c) IgM antibody to hepatitis A virus (IgM anti-HAV)
d) serum acetaminophen levels
e) abdominal CT with contrast


A1) e - no additional testing is warranted at this time: indirect (unconjugated) hyperbilirubinemiain an asymptomatic patient with a normal hemoglobin level and otherwise normal liver tests is suggestive of Gilbert's syndrome (inherited & benign).
A2) b - repeat colonoscopy in 3 years (guidelines)
A3) b - antinuclear antibody and anti–smooth muscle antibody - likely autoimmune hepatitis considering the time course and the patient's history of hypothyroidism (likely autoimmune)

Must have book for the medicine Shelf exam: Case Files Internal Medicine

SHELF / USMLE Step 2 Practice Questions - GI (set #2)

SHELF / USMLE Step 2 Practice Questions > Internal Medicine > GI

Q1) A 74-year-old woman with a history of coronary artery disease (CAD) and presents to her primary care physician with postprandial periumbilical pain that begins 30 min after eating and lasts for a few hours. She has lost 20 lbs in the last 6 mos secondary to decreasing her intake in fear of pain. Which of the following is the most likely diagnosis?

a) pancreatitis
b) intestinal ischemia
c) cholecystitis
d) Crohn’s disease
e) peptic ulcer disease

Q2) A 65-year-old male is being treated for a for pseudomonas nosocomial pneumonia with cefepime. His respiratory symptoms improve, but 5 days after beginning treatment, he develops a new fever, abdominal bloating, and diarrhea with six to eight loose stools per day. You suspect antibiotic-associated colitis. Which of the following is the best diagnostic test?
a) Identification of Clostridium difficile(C.diff) toxin in the stool
b) isolation of C.diff in a stool culture
c) WBCs (eosinophil predominance)in the stool
d) detection anti-C.diff antibodies in the serum
e) C.diff (+) blood cultures

Q3) A patient with a history of alcoholism and HCV presents with scleral icterus and confusion. His breath is positive for fetor hepaticus and he has asterixis. His abdomen is significant for a non-palpable liver, caput medusae and a positive fluid wave. He has no focal neurologic deficit. He falls asleep twice while you are interviewing him. Which is the most likely stage of hepatic encephalopathy in this patient?
a) stage 1 hepatic encephalopathy
b) stage 2 hepatic encephalopathy
c) stage 3 hepatic encephalopathy
d) stage 4 hepatic encephalopathy


A1) b - Intestinal ischemia : triad of postprandial pain, anorexia from fear of eating, and weight
loss. The pain is typically intermittent; it occurs 30 min after eating and persists for up
to 3 hr (.a.k.a abdominal angina).
A2) a - isolation of C.diff in a stool culture
A3) b - stage 2: Lethargy, moderate confusion & asterixis

Must have book on your medicine rotation: Pocket Medicine 2nd Ed.

SHELF / USMLE Step 2 Practice Questions - GI (set #3)

SHELF / USMLE step 2 Practice Questions > Internal Medicine > Gastrointestinal (GI)

Q1. A 60 y/o man presents w. 2 days of new-onset worsening abd. pain that has become progressively more focal at the LLQ. He reports nausea, vomiting, and constipation. He has a fever to 101.2 and on exam his abdomen is tender to palpation with guarding and rebound tenderness in the LLQ. Which of the following diagnostic tests is the best next step?

a) barium enema
b) colonoscopy
c) abdominal CT
d) laparoscopy


Q2. A 26 year old graduate student presents with anorexia, malaise, diarrhea, and dark urine. She returned home last week following a 4 week field study in Peru. Her hepatic enzymes are ALT 975, AST 855, alkaline phosphatase 250, and total bilirubin is 7. Her PT, PTT and INR are normal. Serologic studies reveal:
  • Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) - positive
  • Hepatitis B surface antibody (HBsAb or anti-HBs) - negative
  • Hepatitis B core antibody (HBcAb or anti-HBc) - positive
  • HCV antibody (anti-HCV) - negative
  • Hepatitis A IgM (IgM anti-HAV or HA Ab-IgM) - negative
  • Hepatitis A IgG (IgG anti-HAV or HA Ab-IgG) - positive
Which one of the following statements is correct?
a) She has acute hepatitis A infection
b) She may be infected with hepatitis delta virus
c) The elevated total bilirubin indicates the presence of cirrhosis
d) Active hepatitis B viral expression is suggested by the presence of hepatitis core antibody
e) She was most likely infected with hepatitis B while traveling in Peru

Q3. As a senior medical resident you are asked to admit a 28 year old female who carries a diagnosis of ulcerative colitis. She has documented continuous inflammatory disease from the anal verge to 20 cm from the anal verge. Which one of the following clinical symptoms and physical examination findings is NOT typically found in association with the diagnosis of distal ulcerative colitis?
a) diarrhea in combination with rectal bleeding and tenesmus
b) rectal bleeding in the absence of diarrhea
c) external hemorrhoids
d) perianal fistula
e) abdominal discomfort improved with defecation


A1. c) abdominal CT
A2. b) She may be infected with hepatitis delta virus.
A3. d) perianal fistula

Algorithms: Gastrointestinal (GI)

Med-Source Algorithms: Gastrointestinal (GI)