Clinical Question Strategy

Pay attention to the following info:

• • Allergies → NEVER skip this!

  • Signs/Symptoms → Can give you a clue what the problem is

  • Gender → If female, MUST look for a pregnancy test

  • Medication list → Note the following information for each drug listed:

    • Contraindications

    • Black Box Warnings

    • Teratogenicity

    • MOA

    • Side effects

    • REMS

    • Max doses, if applicable

    • Any genetic info, if applicable

  • Labs/Tests → DO NOT skip these! The exam does not allow you to move on to the next question until you have physically scrolled through everything anyways. It is helpful to know the “average” normal value of each lab (particularly electrolytes, liver panel, and kidney panel). Note that if the exam gives you an abnormal value they want you to see, it will most likely be an EXTREME value, not just “barely” outside the range. Also, note that some drug therapies require you to look for different tests prior to starting or to discontinue treatment, such as pregnancy test or HLA-B*5701 screening.