Required Readings

The following readings cover many of the symptoms and diseases you will encounter during the outpatient clerkship. The end of clerkship exam will ensure that you have processed this material effectively.

We also suggest using the textbook:  Internal Medicine Essentials for Clerkship Students 2, for general reading.

There are many other topics pertinent to outpatient medicine that are not included in this list. In addition to reading all these articles, you should read broadly about other symptoms and diseases you encounter in clinic. This is the best way to expand your knowledge of internal medicine.

Many of the links below will take you directly to a full text article. Some sites will then allow you to switch to pdf format if you wish. Other links will take you to a PubMed page on the UNC Health Sciences Library site. From there you can link to the full text articles. You will need to enter your Onyen and password if you wish to access the PubMed articles from outside the UNC system. If you do not know your Onyen, you can get help here. Let Carol Carden know if you are having any trouble accessing an article.

Renal Failure

Singri N, Ahya SN, Levin ML. Acute Renal Failure. JAMA. 2003;289:747-51.

Chronic Kidney Disease

Learn to look at all different urine sediments

Atrial Fibrillation

Atrial Fibrillation, Annals of Internal Medicine, Nov 4, 2008

COPD

ITC - COPD

Thyroid Disease

ITC - Hypothyroidism

Diabetes

ITC - Diabetes

Diabetes Guidelines

Cholesterol

ITC - Lipids

Venous Thromboembolism

Fedullo PF. Tapson VF. Clinical Practice: The evaluation of suspected pulmonary embolism. NEJM 2003;349:1247-1256.

Deep Venous Thrombosis, Annals of Internal Medicine, Sept 2, 2008

Tobacco Abuse

ITC - Tobacco Use

HTN

http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/guidelines/hypertension/jncintro.htm

Liver Disease

Pratt DS, Kaplan MM. Evaluation of Abnormal Liver-enzyme Results in Asymptomatic Patients. NEJM. 2000 Apr 27;342(17):1266-71.

Trowbridge RL, Rutkowski NK, Shonjania. Does the Patient have Acute Cholecystitis? JAMA. 2003;289:80-6.

Depression

ITC - Depression

Obesity

ITC - Obesity

Pneumonia

ITC - Pneumonia

Anemia

Guyatt et al. Laboratory diagnosis of iron-deficiency anemia: An overview. JGIM 1992: 7: 145-53.

Anemia of Chronic Disease NEJM 2005; 352; 1011-23.

Back Pain

ITC - Back Pain

Chest Pain

Rational Clinical Exam: Is this Patient having a myocardial infarction?

Cough

Diagnosis and treatment of cough. NEJM: http://content.nejm.org/cgi/reprint/343/23/1715.pdf

Dysuria

Clinical Practice: Acute Uncomplicated urinary tract infection in Women. NEJM. 2003; 349: 259-66.

Does this Woman have an acute uncomplicated urinary tract infection? JAMA 2002; 287: 2701-10.

Osteoarthritis

ITC - Osteoarthritis

URI

Acute Sinusitis. Annal of Internal Medicine

Headache

ITC - Migraine

GERD

ITC - GERD

Osteoporosis

ITC - Osteoporosis

Tuberculosis

ITC - Tuberculosis

Vaginitis

ITC - Vaginitis

Nephrolithiasis

ITC - Nephrolithiasis

Optional Readings:

How to read a Chest X-ray
This is an awesome reference; interactive.

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