Spoonful of Sugar

Do your bones ache from learning about skeletal physiology/pathology? Don't take an NSAID, listen to this episode instead! MS3 Jess Wang has you covered with all the high-yield and VERY testable concepts. Don't miss this!

This is part 2 of OMS3 Trent Henderson's series to tackle Lipids!

Lipids are an incredibly dense subject that you've probably spent MANY hours to understand only to lose the big picture. OMS3 Trent Henderson aims to attack this problem in this high yield 2-episode series!

Can't pay attention? Well, you're gonna want to save SOME of that attention to learn about ADHD pharmacology, a surprisingly tricky topic made easy by OMS3 Ghazal Adibi!

In this episode, OMS4 Julia Shepherd from UNECOM discussed an often-overlooked Step 2/Rotations relevant topic in an incredibly detailed manner! This MAY pop up on Step 1, so if you have the time, listen in :)

From painless hematuria to paraneoplastic syndromes, GU cancers can get overwhelming very quickly. Fortunately, OMS3 Angelica Batholomew from Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine in Cleveland will make this topic much easier!

Final part of our 3-part statistics series! OMS3 Akiva Eleff has you covered.

PVD is REALLY common. This episode by MS3 Sahil Sardesai will help you net several high yield points!

Osteomas... Osterosarcomas... Chondrosarcomas... they all sound so similar! MS3 Angia Chen will clarify these differences by discussing the high yield concept of bone tumors.

This is part 2 to our review on high yield stats concepts. In this episode 3rd year medical student, Akiva Eleff, will be going over study designs and biases that are commonly tested on board exams. Be sure to tune in and check it out!

In this episode 3rd year medical student, Akiva Eleff, will cover a common tough subject among medical students: Stats. It can be a very dense topic but it will be broken into a 3 part series to help break it down into bite-sized pieces. This episode will go over introductory concepts and equations. Be sure to tune in and check it out!

In this episode, 3rd year medical student Tal Sherman will cover the most common causes of vaginitis—bacterial vaginosis (BV), candida vulvovaginitis, and trichomoniasis. We’ll also touch on noninfectious vulvovaginitis in children and considerations for infectious vulvovaginitis during pregnancy. Be sure to tune in and check it out!

In this episode of Spoonful of Sugar, Verity Lee, an M3 at Drexel University College of Medicine, takes you through the most critical ethics concepts for Step 1. From foundational principles like autonomy, beneficence, nonmaleficence, and justice, to scenarios on informed consent, confidentiality, and mandatory reporting, this episode simplifies complex topics with practical examples and test-style questions. Verity also discusses cultural competence, motivational interviewing, and common ethical dilemmas like gift-giving and medical errors. Tune in for essential tips, helpful mnemonics, and practice questions to ace your exam while gaining a deeper understanding of patient-centered care!

In this episode of Spoonful of Sugar, host Felina Thomas, a medical student at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, tackles one of the most high-yield yet confusing topics for DO students: viscerosomatics. Felina breaks down viscerovisceral, somatovisceral, somatosomatic, and viscerosomatic reflexes with relatable examples and clinical vignettes to help you prepare for COMLEX exams. From understanding reflex definitions to reviewing key viscerosomatic levels and their clinical implications, this episode is packed with practical tips and mnemonics to simplify your studies. Tune in for a rapid-fire review and actionable strategies to master this challenging topic!

In this episode of Spoonful of Sugar, host Eishan Ashwat, a medical student at the University of Pittsburgh, dives into the essential yet often life-threatening topics of aortic aneurysms and dissections. Starting with a clinical vignette to set the stage, Eishan explores the anatomy, pathophysiology, and clinical presentations of these conditions. Tune in to learn about key risk factors, diagnostic strategies, and the latest management approaches, including surgical interventions and emerging treatments. Perfect for medical students looking to master the essentials of aortic pathology and ace their boards!

One thing possibly more annoying than tick bites is trying to study the various tick-borne illnesses and keeping them straight! Have no fear, in this episode 3rd year medical student, Alexis Seery, will discuss several high yield tick-borne illnesses. If this topic has you ‘itching’ to learn more, be sure to tune in and check it out!

In this episode, Drexel's Hayley Hart will walk us through the stages of labor, a helpful topic for Step/Level 1 and 2 listeners!

In this episode, 3rd year medical student Hashim Aslam will start by looking at the primary headaches such as migraines, and then explore some warning signs of head pain and types of secondary headaches that tend to show up on boards.

OMS4 Rebecca Shaneck guides us through a rapid review of the high yield liver diseases you will see in board exams. If you find the liver confusing, start here to develop a foundation!

In this episode, 3rd year medical student Sahil Sardesai will discuss Appendicitis and Pseudoappendicitis as this is a heavily tested topic on Step and Level exams and comes up often on rotations! Be sure to tune in and check it out!

In this episode, third-year medical student Patrice Nguyen will discuss Sturge–Weber syndrome, Neurofibromatosis (Type 1 and 2), and Tuberous Sclerosis, which are three neurocutaneous syndromes that often get confused for one another. She will also provide some helpful dedicated advice at the end of the episode, so stay tuned!

If the thought of trying to study the various congenital GI diseases has your stomach turning, you’re in the right place. In this episode, third-year medical student Vivian Zhong, will discuss congenital GI diseases as this is a heavily tested topic on Step and Level 2. Be sure to tune in and check it out!

We can't believe this is our 100th episode of Spoonful of Sugar! Thank you so much to all of our listeners who have supported us along the way, and an enormous thank you to all of the medical students who have contributed to our team and helped create content. SoS is about building a community of medical students that continually teach and learn from one another. We are always looking for medical students to join our team. Tune in to hear our founder Ria provide a reintroduction to the podcast and tell you how you can get involved!

Wind, water, walking, wound, & wonder drugs. The infamous 5 W’s of your surgery rotation. Although this podcast is a bit more geared towards third-year shelf exams and Step 2/Level 2, its content is still super high-yield. In this episode, third-year medical student Maya Amy will discuss different etiologies and presentations of postoperative fever. Be sure to tune in and check it out!

Hair loss is one of those topics that often tricks students on the USMLE exams. Don’t be fooled into thinking it isn’t high yield! In this episode, third-year medical student Zane Sejdiu will discuss different etiologies and presentations of hair loss. From alopecia areata, androgenic alopecia, tinea, and more, we cover it all. Be sure to tune in and check it out!

MS3 Bilal Rana goes over the highest yield topics for psychiatry for USMLE Step 1/COMLEX Level 1. Best of luck to everyone studying!

In this episode, MS3 Bilal Rana will go over the most pertinent information regarding barbiturates and benzodiazepines, a topic that can be more confusing than it needs to be!

Welcome to part 2! In this episode, Bilal Rana will go over easy ways to remember how to differentiate meningitis using CSF findings as well as touch upon high yield points about GBS.

You'll definitely run into questions about CSF. In this episode, Bilal Rana will go over some must know points about communicating and noncommunicating hydrocephalus, as well as hydrocephalus ex vacuo.

In this episode, MS4 Tania Mulherkar will review common anesthetic agents, their properties, usage, and side effects. This is an excellent Step 1 and 2 review!

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is arguably one of the highest yield topics on USMLE Step 1/COMLEX Level 1 exam. In this episode, third-year medical student Alexa Rae Churan will discuss HIV and all the critical facts you need to know. From basic biology, including genes, viral structure, and lifecycle, to clinical presentation, workup, and treatment, we cover it all. Be sure to tune in and check it out!

Arguably one of the most complicated topics concerning the psychiatry questions seen on USMLE/COMLEX. In this episode, Bilal Rana will work through the differentials related to schizophrenia to clarify the pitfalls students find themselves in.

Have you heard of the specialty of integrative medicine? What is it, and how does an integrative medicine physician care for their patients? In this episode, Ria interviews Dr. Chiti Parikh, who is board certified in integrative medicine and is the executive director of the Integrative Health and Wellbeing Program at Weill Cornell Medicine. She also recently published a book called “Intentional Health,” which talks about how she blends ancient health principles from ayurvedic medicine with modern Western medical practices. Tune in to listen to this interview, learn about integrative medicine, and learn about how you can potentially incorporate this specialty into your future career. 

There are a long list of mature and immature mechanisms. Our very own Bilal Rana will go over all of them!

Everyone in medicine has to teach at some point - whether you’re educating peers, residents,  medical students, or patients. Despite this expectation, most of us are never formally trained in how to teach. How do you pick a topic that’s salient and appropriate for the time and space you’ve been allotted, how do you structure the content in a way that makes sense, and most importantly, how do you make it stick? In this special episode, Spoonful of Sugar founder Dr. Ria Mulherkar shares some advice from her experience with teaching on the podcast.

There are quite a number of psychotherapy modalities discussed on USMLE/COMLEX. In this episode, Bilal Rana will be talking about the most high yield ones.

Whether or not you’re going into ophthalmology, you’re likely to see a patient with an eye-related complaint at some point in your career. In this episode, Ria interviews ophthalmology resident Dr. Will Foos about his specialty - common consults he sees, when you should absolutely consult an ophthalmologist, and some specialty-specific advice for folks who are interested. Tune in to see what he has to say! 

If these tricky trisomies have been giving you some trouble, you are in the right place! Third year medical students Michelle Troup, Carla Wyatt-Ingram host an episode on Prenatal Screenings. They’ll walk you through the high-yield concepts and have plenty of mnemonics and questions to keep you engaged!

Third year medical students Michelle Troup, Carla Wyatt-Ingram host an episode on Neuroembryology. “If the thought of parsing through neuroembryology sends a chill down your spine, you’re in the right place”. In this episode, they walk through important landmarks in neurodevelopment and explore the pathology that can present when that development goes wrong.

Sex chromosome disorders and disorders of sexual development can be a tricky topic on boards. If you need a refresher, MS3 Rachel Garza is here to help you review and understand how to approach this topic! As always, we use lots of questions to keep you engaged.

Curious about the mind-body connection? Elise Kao and Michelle Troup have you covered, as they will help us understand when this connection goes awry. Topics include conversion disorder, somatic symptom disorder, illness anxiety disorder, pseudocyesis, as well as a discussion of the differences between factitious disorder and malingering.

To start off the fourth season, third year medical students Darby Billing and Michelle Troup host an episode on sleep disorders. In this episode, they cover topics ranging from stages of sleep, features of sleep waves, night terrors, and other various sleep pathologies. Tune in for this short but packed review on all things sleep. As Michelle and Darby say, you better not “doze off” for this one!

For our Season 3 finale, MS3 students Darby Billing and Elise Kao host an episode on disorders of sexual development. They’ll cover topics such as 5-alpha reductase deficiency, Mullerian agenesis, androgen insufficiency, and more in our usual question-and-answer style format. Never feel bad for not knowing the answers when you’re listening to SoS! The point is to miss questions now so you’ll never miss them again.

DNA damage can result in single-stranded or double-stranded breaks, and you need to know the different mechanisms we have to repair them! This topic is relevant not just for board exams, but also if you choose to pursue an oncologic specialty down the road. Tune in now for an easy review of this important topic. We’ll be sure to include some silly mnemonics that help you remember some tricky concepts.

Lung cancer is the second most common type of cancer to occur in the United States (not including skin cancers) and THE most common cause of death! So, it’s naturally very important to know the different types of lung cancer, including their risk factors and how they manifest. Tune in for a short but sweet review on this commonly tested topic by MS3 Kate Spencer.

What are personality disorders? Do you remember the different clusters of personality disorders? (Hint: A, B, C). If you need a refresher, MS3 Bilal Rana is here to help you review and understand how to approach this topic! As always, we use lots of questions to keep you engaged.

Most students take the USMLE Step 1 in the spring or early summer towards the end of MS2. If you’re in your second year, now might be a good time to start planning your approach to this daunting and monumental exam. Here, we lay out 5 steps that can help you prepare for the USMLE Step 1 while maintaining a positive mindset and trying to enjoy the process!

Part 2 of 2 in our 2-part series on the pharmacology of mood disorders. In this second part, MS3 Bilal Rana covers mood stabilizers and antipsychotics. Tune in for a packed and powerful review!

A few weeks ago, MS3 Bilal Rana hosted an episode on Mood Disorders. This is a two-part follow-up to that episode, with a packed and powerful review of the pharmacology of mood disorders – what are the drugs we use to treat mood disorders, and how do they work? In part 1, we cover SSRIs, SNRIs, TCAs, atypical antidepressants, MAU inhibitors. Let’s go!

What kind of crystals are seen in gout versus pseudo-gout? Which arthritis is worse in the morning, and which one at night? If you have trouble keeping these joint disorders straight, this episode is for you! MS3 Kate Spencer asks tons of questions to help you review gout and arthritis.