100 episodes

The Rx Bricks podcast from USMLE-Rx is designed to help you master medical school. Each episode is an audio version of one of our revolutionary Rx Bricks, which are short, high-yield, interactive learning modules. Each week, we present a new audiobrick based on an important basic science topic (e.g., pressure-volume loops) or clinical concept (e.g., ischemic heart disease). Learn more at www.usmle-rx.com

The Rx Bricks Podcast USMLE-Rx

    • Education
    • 5.0 • 110 Ratings

The Rx Bricks podcast from USMLE-Rx is designed to help you master medical school. Each episode is an audio version of one of our revolutionary Rx Bricks, which are short, high-yield, interactive learning modules. Each week, we present a new audiobrick based on an important basic science topic (e.g., pressure-volume loops) or clinical concept (e.g., ischemic heart disease). Learn more at www.usmle-rx.com

    Macroscopic Skin Lesions

    Macroscopic Skin Lesions

    Macroscopic Skin Lesions
    A thorough skin examination should be performed annually to assess for new or changing macroscopic skin lesions. It is critically important to be able to identify and describe normal and abnormal skin and to note your findings carefully, because a change in an existing skin lesion is the most common sign of skin cancer, including deadly ones like melanoma. In this discussion, we will describe the specific ways in which you document skin lesions, using a vocabulary that other clinicians will understand.
    After listening to this AudioBrick, you should be able to:

    Explain the importance of physical examination of the skin.
    Describe skin lesions, explaining and illustrating each of the following: size, type (eg, vesicle, bulla), color, configuration (eg, annular, targetoid, discoid), arrangement (eg, solitary, grouped, linear, reticular), and distribution and location.

    You can also check out the original brick on Macroscopic Skin Lesions from our Musculoskeletal, Skin, and Connective Tissue collection, which is available for free.
    Learn more about Rx Bricks by signing up for a free USMLE-Rx account: www.usmle-rx.com.
    You will get 5 days of full access to our Rx360+ program, including Step 1 Qmax, Flash Facts, Express Videos, a digital version of First Aid for the USMLE Step 1, and nearly 800 Rx Bricks.  After the 5-day period, you will still be able to access over 150 free bricks, including the entire collections for General Microbiology and Cellular and Molecular Biology.
    ***
    If you enjoyed this episode, we’d love for you to leave a review on Apple Podcasts.  It helps with our visibility, and the more med students (or future med students) listen to the podcast, the more we can provide to the future physicians of the world.
    Follow USMLE-Rx at:
    Facebook: www.facebook.com/usmlerx
    Blog: www.firstaidteam.com
    Twitter: https://twitter.com/firstaidteam
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/firstaidteam/
    YouTube: www.youtube.com/USMLERX
    Learn how you can access over 150 of our bricks for FREE: https://usmlerx.wpengine.com/free-bricks/

    • 16 min
    Acute Inflammation

    Acute Inflammation

    Have you ever cut your finger, bumped your head, or fallen and scraped your knee? While you were cursing your clumsiness or bad luck, your body got straight to work healing the injury, relying on the wondrous process of acute inflammation. Shortly after your injury, you most likely experienced some or all of the cardinal signs of acute inflammation: pain (dolor), redness (rubor), heat (calor), and swelling (tumor).


    There are two types of inflammation: acute and chronic. Acute inflammation is an essential part of the body’s defense system and generally lasts a few days. Chronic inflammation (discussed in detail in another brick) involves an ongoing low-level inflammation that lasts for weeks, months, or even years. Unlike acute inflammation, chronic inflammation is not beneficial; it leads to tissue damage and is linked to the development of many types of chronic disease, including diabetes, cancer, and a range of autoimmune disorders.
    After listening to this AudioBrick, you should be able to:

    Describe the three roles of inflammation.
    Identify the cells of innate immunity involved in acute inflammation and the timeline of when each cell type is involved.
    Describe the four reactions of blood vessels in acute inflammation.
    Describe leukocyte recruitment to sites of inflammation.
    Explain how these processes result in the general clinical manifestations of acute inflammation.
    Provide specific examples of acute inflammation.
    Describe the utility of acute-phase reactants as a marker of inflammation: erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein, ferritin, fibrinogen (all increased with inflammation—positive markers).

    You can also check out the original brick on Acute Inflammation from our General Pathology collection, which is available for free.
    Learn more about Rx Bricks by signing up for a free USMLE-Rx account: www.usmle-rx.com
    You will get 5 days of full access to our Rx360+ program, including nearly 800 Rx Bricks.  After the 5-day period, you will still be able to access over 150 free bricks, including the entire collections for General Microbiology and Cellular and Molecular Biology.
    ***
    If you enjoyed this episode, we’d love for you to leave a review on Apple Podcasts.  It helps with our visibility, and the more med students (or future med students) listen to the podcast, the more we can provide to the future physicians of the world.
    Follow USMLE-Rx at:
    Facebook: www.facebook.com/usmlerx
    Blog: www.firstaidteam.com
    Twitter: https://twitter.com/firstaidteam
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/firstaidteam/
    YouTube: www.youtube.com/USMLERX
    Learn how you can access over 150 of our bricks for FREE: https://usmlerx.wpengine.com/free-bricks/

    • 25 min
    Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia Syndromes

    Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia Syndromes

    Multiple endocrine neoplasias are familial syndromes of endocrine tumors occurring in endocrine organs throughout the body. Despite its acronym, the risk for acquiring MEN is about the same in men and women and also across geographic and racial and ethnic groups. These are rare syndromes, affecting about 1 in 30,000 people. Genetic mutations cause the MEN syndromes, which are then inherited in an autosomal dominant pattern. This means several members of the same family are often affected; an affected parent has a 50% chance of passing down the disease to his or her children. Unlike cancers without a hereditary basis, tumors associated with MEN often occur in younger patients (under age 40 years) and affect multiple organ systems all at once, making them particularly troublesome. Generally, tumors may arise in the pituitary gland, parathyroid glands, thymus, pancreas, thyroid, or adrenal glands (Figure 1). The three major types of multiple endocrine neoplasia are MEN1, MEN2A, and MEN2B, and each has a characteristic picture of endocrine or neurologic disorders and tumors.
    After listening to this AudioBrick, you should be able to:

    Define multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN), and list the three MEN syndromes.
    Compare and contrast the main clinical features of MEN1, MEN2A, and MEN2B.
    Describe the genetic defects that cause MEN1, MEN2A, and MEN2B.
    Briefly describe the management of the MEN syndromes.

    You can also check out the original brick on Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia from our Endocrine collection, which is available for free.
    Learn more about Rx Bricks by signing up for a free USMLE-Rx account: www.usmle-rx.com
    You will get 5 days of full access to our Rx360+ program, including nearly 800 Rx Bricks.  After the 5-day period, you will still be able to access over 150 free bricks, including the entire collections for General Microbiology and Cellular and Molecular Biology.
    ***
    If you enjoyed this episode, we’d love for you to leave a review on Apple Podcasts.  It helps with our visibility, and the more med students (or future med students) listen to the podcast, the more we can provide to the future physicians of the world.
    Follow USMLE-Rx at:
    Facebook: www.facebook.com/usmlerx
    Blog: www.firstaidteam.com
    Twitter: https://twitter.com/firstaidteam
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/firstaidteam/
    YouTube: www.youtube.com/USMLERX
    Learn how you can access over 150 of our bricks for FREE: https://usmlerx.wpengine.com/free-bricks/

    • 20 min
    Myocarditis

    Myocarditis

    Myocarditis is the inflammation of the heart muscle. This muscle is the middle layer of the heart, formally called the myocardium, hence the name myocarditis (the -itis suffix indicates inflammation). Inflammation of the myocardium can be caused by a variety of etiologies, from infection to drugs. If severe enough, inflammation can lead to necrosis and cardiomyocyte death. This is dangerous because the heart is considered permanent tissue. This means there is limited regenerative potential, so tissue loss is essentially permanent. As part of the healing process, myocardial tissue is replaced by a fibrous scar to fill the defect. But because the fibrous scar has no contractile properties, it diminishes the heart’s strength. If severe enough, this damage can even cause heart failure.
    After listening to this AudioBrick, you should be able to:

    Define myocarditis.
    List the most common viral, bacterial, fungal, and parasitic causes of myocarditis, and describe the general mechanism for how these agents damage the myocardium.
    List noninfectious causes of myocarditis, and describe the general mechanism for how the myocardium is damaged in these conditions.
    Describe the characteristic microscopic features of acute infectious myocarditis.
    Describe the typical presentation, clinical spectrum, and prognosis of myocarditis.

    You can also check out the original brick on Myocarditis from our Cardiovascular collection, which is available for free.
    Learn more about Rx Bricks by signing up for a free USMLE-Rx account: www.usmle-rx.com
    You will get 5 days of full access to our Rx360+ program, including nearly 800 Rx Bricks.  After the 5-day period, you will still be able to access over 150 free bricks, including the entire collections for General Microbiology and Cellular and Molecular Biology.
    ***
    If you enjoyed this episode, we’d love for you to leave a review on Apple Podcasts.  It helps with our visibility, and the more med students (or future med students) listen to the podcast, the more we can provide to the future physicians of the world.
    Follow USMLE-Rx at:
    Facebook: www.facebook.com/usmlerx
    Blog: www.firstaidteam.com
    Twitter: https://twitter.com/firstaidteam
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/firstaidteam/
    YouTube: www.youtube.com/USMLERX
    Learn how you can access over 150 of our bricks for FREE: https://usmlerx.wpengine.com/free-bricks/

    • 21 min
    Principles of Learning

    Principles of Learning

    Learning is traditionally defined as acquiring knowledge through study, experience, or being taught. In psychology, it is often defined as a relatively lasting change in behavior that results from experience. Learning is an ongoing process; we continue learning throughout our entire lives.
    After listening to this AudioBrick, you should be able to:

    Name and briefly describe the three major theories of learning.
    Define classical conditioning, including unconditioned stimulus, unconditioned response, neutral stimulus, conditioned stimulus, and conditioned response.
    Define operant conditioning and differentiate between positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement, positive punishment, and negative punishment.
    Compare and contrast classical and operant conditioning.
    Describe examples of social learning theory.

    You can also check out the original brick on Principles of Learning from our Psychiatry collection, which is available for free.
    Learn more about Rx Bricks by signing up for a free USMLE-Rx account: www.usmle-rx.com
    You will get 5 days of full access to our Rx360+ program, including nearly 800 Rx Bricks.  After the 5-day period, you will still be able to access over 150 free bricks, including the entire collections for General Microbiology and Cellular and Molecular Biology.
    ***
    If you enjoyed this episode, we’d love for you to leave a review on Apple Podcasts.  It helps with our visibility, and the more med students (or future med students) listen to the podcast, the more we can provide to the future physicians of the world.
    Follow USMLE-Rx at:
    Facebook: www.facebook.com/usmlerx
    Blog: www.firstaidteam.com
    Twitter: https://twitter.com/firstaidteam
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/firstaidteam/
    YouTube: www.youtube.com/USMLERX
    Learn how you can access over 150 of our bricks for FREE: https://usmlerx.wpengine.com/free-bricks/

    • 15 min
    Salmonella and Shigella (Re-release)

    Salmonella and Shigella (Re-release)

    Salmonella and Shigella species are almost made to be confused—two bacterial infections in the Enterobacteriaceae family that are spread by food and dirty conditions, cause gastroenteritis, and start with S! To make matters more confusing, they look similar on microscopy. While they are more common in developing communities, they are also seen in the United States. Here, we will give you the tools to keep these bugs and their presentations straight.
    After listening to this AudioBrick, you should be able to:

    Differentiate the microscopic and growth characteristics and habitat of Salmonella typhi, Salmonella spp other than S typhi, and Shigella.
    Describe the host (risk) factors, mode of transmission, and pathobiology of diseases caused by these organisms.
    Describe the clinical manifestations of diseases caused by these organisms.
    Discuss concerns of antibiotic resistance related to these organisms.

    You can also check out the original brick on Salmonella and Shigella. from our Microbiology collection, which is available for free.
    Learn more about Rx Bricks by signing up for a free USMLE-Rx account: www.usmle-rx.com
    You will get 5 days of full access to our Rx360+ program, including nearly 800 Rx Bricks.  After the 5-day period, you will still be able to access over 150 free bricks, including the entire collections for General Microbiology and Cellular and Molecular Biology.
    ***
    If you enjoyed this episode, we’d love for you to leave a review on Apple Podcasts.  It helps with our visibility, and the more med students (or future med students) listen to the podcast, the more we can provide to the future physicians of the world.
    Follow USMLE-Rx at:
    Facebook: www.facebook.com/usmlerx
    Blog: www.firstaidteam.com
    Twitter: https://twitter.com/firstaidteam
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/firstaidteam/
    YouTube: www.youtube.com/USMLERX
    Learn how you can access over 150 of our bricks for FREE: https://usmlerx.wpengine.com/free-bricks/

    • 21 min

Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5
110 Ratings

110 Ratings

user02893754 ,

High Yield and Engaging

Great case presentations balanced with core content and clear learning objectives. To me, it’s the only audio step studying worth it

mcvenice06 ,

High-yield!

Very good presentations of high-yield topics and points! I love how they structure discussions and insert knowledge checks in the middle. The presenters speak very clearly. Looking forward to new uploads!

Mayakakos ,

BEST USMLE PODCAST

As I’ve been preparing for boards, I’ve gone through countless podcasts to find one to listen to when I’m on the go. This is BY FAR the best. It captures all the high yield points, presents cases clinically as you would see on STEP, and has knowledge checks throughout to make sure you’re retaining the information. This has been a LIFE SAVER!!

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