Beyond the Pearls: Cases for Med School, Residency and Beyond

Raj Dasgupta & MedPrepToGo

The Beyond the Pearls podcast, based on the Morning Report series from Elsevier, has been adapted for audio in collaboration with series editor, Dr. Raj Dasgupta, InsideTheBoards, and the volume editors of the Morning Report series’ five volumes covering Internal Medicine, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Pediatrics, Psychiatry, and Surgery.  Like the books in the series, the podcast uses an in-depth case dissection format and aims to deliver practical, concise and easy to digest information that is especially relevant for those studying for the USMLE Step 3, but students or others revising other USMLE or COMLEX exams will also find value.  Most episodes present a high-yield topic in a morning report or grand rounds format, and include must-know "pearls," an in-depth discussion of differentials and treatment, and assessment questions that support exam preparation. The Beyond the Pearls podcast also offers bonus episodes based on some of Dr. Raj’s most popular, highly-rated lectures.  Visit beyondthepearls.net to become part of the BTP community and get the Beyond the Pearls books and more ultra high yield, entertaining educational content from Dr. Raj. 

  1. 22H AGO

    Psychiatry: Panic Disorder

    Today's Case A 28-year-old female presents to an outpatient psychiatry clinic with a 1-month history of anxiety attacks. She has a past history of major depressive disorder (MDD) and is taking a low dose sero- tonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI). During the panic attacks she experiences severe anxiety with the following symptoms: lightheadedness, accelerated heart rate, chest pain, short- ness of breath, and nausea. The symptoms last between 2 and 20 minutes. She cannot identify any triggers for the panic attacks. She has been worrying about when the next panic attack will occur, and the symptoms are affecting her ability to function. She was previously effectively treated with venlafaxine and until now had experienced infrequent panic attacks. Today's Reader Ryan O'Connell is a junior biology major at Loyola Marymount University. About Dr. Raj Dr Raj is a quadruple board certified physician and associate professor at the University of Southern California. He was a co-host on the TNT series Chasing the Cure with Ann Curry, a regular on the TV Show The Doctors for the past 7 seasons and has a weekly medical segment on ABC news Los Angeles. More from Dr. Raj ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Dr. Raj Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Dr. Raj on Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Dr. Raj on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Want more board review content? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠USMLE Step 1 Ad-Free Bundle⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Crush Step 1⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Step 2 Secrets⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Beyond the Pearls⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Dr. Raj Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Beyond the Pearls Premium⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠USMLE Step 3 Review⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠MedPrepTGo Step 1 Questions⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠MedPrepTGo Step 2 Questions⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    22 min
  2. FEB 12

    Psychiatry: Neuropsychological Testing

    Today's Case A 63-year-old male is brought in by ambulance to the emergency room for new onset weakness and confusion. His last known well time was 1 hour before presentation. He was having dinner with his family when suddenly he developed weakness and confusion, and the family called 911. He has a past medical history of type 1 diabetes, hypertension, and a strong family history of cerebral infarctions. He has not had any recent head trauma, major bleeding, strokes, or blood thinners. Today's Reader Ryan O'Connell is a junior biology major at Loyola Marymount University. About Dr. Raj Dr Raj is a quadruple board certified physician and associate professor at the University of Southern California. He was a co-host on the TNT series Chasing the Cure with Ann Curry, a regular on the TV Show The Doctors for the past 7 seasons and has a weekly medical segment on ABC news Los Angeles. More from Dr. Raj ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Dr. Raj Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Dr. Raj on Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Dr. Raj on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Want more board review content? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠USMLE Step 1 Ad-Free Bundle⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Crush Step 1⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Step 2 Secrets⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Beyond the Pearls⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Dr. Raj Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Beyond the Pearls Premium⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠USMLE Step 3 Review⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠MedPrepTGo Step 1 Questions⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠MedPrepTGo Step 2 Questions⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    22 min
  3. FEB 5

    Psychiatry: Mental Status Examination

    Today's Case A 61-year-old male arrives at the emergency department by ambulance after being in a three-vehicle collision resulting in two fatalities. After the event he is openly joking about the accident, appears apathetic to the loss of life, and has urinary incontinence while speaking to the police. Field sobriety tests are conducted by the police in response to his behavior. The test is quickly suspended when the patient takes more than the instructed nine steps forward on three attempts. A breatha- lyzer test shows negative for alcohol. He denies having any discomfort and tries to leave the hospital (requiring redirection by staff ). He does not ask why he was brought to the hospital. His only visible injuries are minor chest contusions, likely from impact with the steering wheel. When asked how he’s feeling, he repeatedly (and at times inappropriately) responds, “Right as rain.” His wife has been contacted and is on her way to the hospital. Today's Reader Ryan O'Connell is a junior biology major at Loyola Marymount University. About Dr. Raj Dr Raj is a quadruple board certified physician and associate professor at the University of Southern California. He was a co-host on the TNT series Chasing the Cure with Ann Curry, a regular on the TV Show The Doctors for the past 7 seasons and has a weekly medical segment on ABC news Los Angeles. More from Dr. Raj ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Dr. Raj Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Dr. Raj on Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Dr. Raj on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Want more board review content? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠USMLE Step 1 Ad-Free Bundle⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Crush Step 1⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Step 2 Secrets⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Beyond the Pearls⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Dr. Raj Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Beyond the Pearls Premium⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠USMLE Step 3 Review⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠MedPrepTGo Step 1 Questions⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠MedPrepTGo Step 2 Questions⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    19 min
  4. 12/25/2025

    OBGYN: Cystic Fibrosis Carrier Screening

    Today's Case A 30-year-old nulliparous Caucasian woman comes in for her routine gynecology appointment. She tells you that she would like to discontinue her birth control as she and her partner are planning to become pregnant in the next year. The patient says that one of her family members has cystic fibrosis (CF). Today's Reader Dr. Kada Fehlman is an Internal Medicine Resident at Huntington Health Cedars-Sinai. About Dr. Raj Dr Raj is a quadruple board certified physician and associate professor at the University of Southern California. He was a co-host on the TNT series Chasing the Cure with Ann Curry, a regular on the TV Show The Doctors for the past 7 seasons and has a weekly medical segment on ABC news Los Angeles. More from Dr. Raj ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Dr. Raj Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Dr. Raj on Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Dr. Raj on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Want more board review content? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠USMLE Step 1 Ad-Free Bundle⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Crush Step 1⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Step 2 Secrets⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Beyond the Pearls⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Dr. Raj Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Beyond the Pearls Premium⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠USMLE Step 3 Review⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠MedPrepTGo Step 1 Questions⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠MedPrepTGo Step 2 Questions⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    36 min

Ratings & Reviews

4.1
out of 5
14 Ratings

About

The Beyond the Pearls podcast, based on the Morning Report series from Elsevier, has been adapted for audio in collaboration with series editor, Dr. Raj Dasgupta, InsideTheBoards, and the volume editors of the Morning Report series’ five volumes covering Internal Medicine, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Pediatrics, Psychiatry, and Surgery.  Like the books in the series, the podcast uses an in-depth case dissection format and aims to deliver practical, concise and easy to digest information that is especially relevant for those studying for the USMLE Step 3, but students or others revising other USMLE or COMLEX exams will also find value.  Most episodes present a high-yield topic in a morning report or grand rounds format, and include must-know "pearls," an in-depth discussion of differentials and treatment, and assessment questions that support exam preparation. The Beyond the Pearls podcast also offers bonus episodes based on some of Dr. Raj’s most popular, highly-rated lectures.  Visit beyondthepearls.net to become part of the BTP community and get the Beyond the Pearls books and more ultra high yield, entertaining educational content from Dr. Raj. 

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