Ace Your First Aid for the USMLE Step 1 (2021) Classes and Exams with Picmonic: #1 Visual Mnemonic Study Tool for Physician Assistant (PA) Students
With Picmonic, facts become pictures. We've taken what the science shows - image mnemonics work - but we've boosted the effectiveness by building and associating memorable characters, interesting audio stories, and built-in quizzing. Whether you're studying for your classes or getting ready for a big exam, we're here to help.
First Aid for the USMLE Step 1 (2021) | Physician Assistant (PA) School Study Aid
Polymyositis / Dermatomyositis Disease
- Pathophysiology
- Idiopathic Inflammatory Myopathy
- More Common in Women
- Endomysial Inflammation with CD8+ Cells (Polymyositis)
- Perimysial Inflammation with CD4+ Cells (Dermatomyositis)
- Signs and Symptoms (Both)
- Symmetric Proximal Muscle Weakness
- Dysphagia
- Lung and Cardiac Involvement
- Signs and Symptoms (Dermatomyositis)
- Malar Rash
- Shawl-like Shoulder Rash
- Gottron Papules on Knuckles
- Heliotrope Rash
3 mins
Acanthosis Nigricans
- Associations
- Endocrine Disorders
- Diabetes Mellitus
- Obesity
- Malignancy
- Presentation
- Velvety Plaques
- Dark, Thickened Flexural Areas
- Diagnosis
- Hyperkeratosis with Melanocytes
- Treatment
- Treat Underlying Disorder
2 mins
Stomach Cancer
- Adenocarcinoma
- Intestinal Type
- Intestinal Type
- Smoked Foods Containing Nitrosamines
- Achlorhydria
- Type A Blood
- Helicobacter pylori
- Diffuse Type
- Diffuse Type
- Signet Ring Cells
- Linitis Plastica (Leather Bottle Stomach)
- Assessment
- Acanthosis Nigricans
- Left Supraclavicular Lymph Node
- Virchow's Node
- Subcutaneous Periumbilical Mets
- Sister Mary Joseph's Nodule
- Complications
- Bilateral mets to ovaries
- Krukenberg's tumor
3 mins
Adenocarcinoma of the Lung
- Characteristics
- Most Common Lung Cancer
- Most Common in Nonsmokers
- Peripheral Location
- KRAS, EGFR, and ALK Mutations
- Diagnosis
- Glandular Pattern
- Often Stains with Mucin
- Clinical Features
- Presents with Hemoptysis
- Clubbing
- Treatment
- Surgical Resection
- Chemotherapy and Radiation
2 mins
Hypercalcemia
- Assessment
- > 10.5 mg/dL Ca2+
- Pathologic Fractures
- Lethargy
- Hypercoagulation
- Constipation
- ECG Changes
- QT Shortening
- Interventions
- No Calcium Intake
- Chelating Drugs
- Calcitonin
- Bisphosphonates
- Loop Diuretics instead of Thiazide Diuretics
- Considerations
- Increased Risk for Renal Calculi
- Increase Fluids
3 mins
Hypercalcemia Causes
- Two CHIMPANZEES Acronym
- Thyroid Disorders
- Calcium Supplements
- Hyperparathyroidism
- Iatrogenic (Drugs, immobility)
- Milk-Alkali Syndrome
- Paget's Disease of Bone
- Acromegaly or Addison's Disease
- Neoplasms
- Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome
- Excessive Vitamin A
- Excessive Vitamin D
- Sarcoidosis
2 mins
Cushing's Syndrome Characteristics
- More Common in Women
- Exogenous Etiologies
- Glucocorticoids
- Endogenous Etiologies
- Decreased ACTH
- Primary Adrenal Disease
- Increased ACTH
- Pituitary Adenoma (Cushing's Disease)
- Paraneoplastic: Small Cell Carcinoma
- CRF-releasing Tumors
2 mins
Syndrome Of Inappropriate Antidiuretic Hormone (SIADH)
- Pathophysiology
- Hypersecretion of ADH
- Increased Sensitivity to ADH
- Signs & Symptoms
- Serum Hypoosmolality
- Coma and Seizure
- Dilutional Hyponatremia
- Cramps and Tremors
- Euvolemia
- Change in LOC
2 mins
Polycythemia Vera Disease
- Pathophysiology
- JAK2 Mutation leading to increased red blood cells
- Tyrosine Kinase
- Symptoms
- Erythromelalgia
- Pruritus
- Often After Hot Shower
- Headache
- Treatment
- Phlebotomy
- Aspirin
1 min
Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma Symptoms and Risk Factors
- Common Signs and Symptoms
- Abdominal Pain
- Anorexia and Weight Loss
- Migratory Superficial Thrombophlebitis
- New-Onset Diabetes
- Signs/Symptoms Specific to Tumors in the Pancreatic Head
- Jaundice
- Steatorrhea
- White Stool
- Palpable but Non-tender Gall Bladder
- Risk Factors
- Elderly
- Chronic Pancreatitis
- Smoking
- Alcoholism
- Diabetes
5 mins
Teratoma
- Germ-cell Tumor
- Dermoid Cyst (Benign and Mature Teratoma)
- Immature Teratoma (Malignant)
- Struma Ovarii
2 mins
Neuroblastoma Characteristics and Presentation
- Characteristics
- Malignant Neuroendocrine Tumor
- Neural Crest Cells Origin
- Sympathetic Ganglia
- Adrenal Glands
- Amplification of N-myc Oncogene
- Most Common Cancer In Infancy
- Clinical Presentation
- Abdominal Mass That Can Cross Midline
- Gastrointestinal Distress
- Metastasis
- Raccoon Eyes
- Opsoclonus-Myoclonus Syndrome
4 mins
Neuroblastoma Diagnosis and Management
- Diagnosis
- 24-hour Urine Test
- Increased Catecholamines
- Increased Homovanillic and Vanillylmandelic Acid
- Ultrasound
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
- Biopsy
- Pathology
- Small Round Blue Cells
- Homer-Wright Rosettes
- Bombesin Positive
- Neuron Specific Enolase Positive
- Interventions
- Local Excision
- Chemotherapy
- Radiation
3 mins
Small Cell (Oat Cell) Carcinoma
- Characteristics
- Aggressively Malignant
- Strong Correlation with Smoking
- Central Location
- Amplification of Myc Oncogenes
- Signs and Symptoms
- Narrowing of Bronchial Airways
- Cushing's Syndrome
- Ectopic ACTH
- Syndrome Of Inappropriate Antidiuretic Hormone (SIADH)
- Lambert-Eaton Syndrome
- Diagnosis
- Kulchitsky Cells
- Neuron-Specific Enolase Positive
- Chromogranin A Positive
- Treatment
- Chemotherapy and Radiation
3 mins
Lambert-Eaton Syndrome
- Mechanism
- Autoantibody to the Presynaptic Calcium Channel on Motor Neurons
- Inhibits Acetylcholine (ACh) Release at Neuromuscular Junction
- Paraneoplastic Syndrome
- Small Cell Lung Cancer
- Symptoms
- Proximal Muscle Weakness
- Improves with Muscle Use
- Autonomic Symptoms
- Extraocular Muscle Sparing
2 mins
Myasthenia Gravis
- Mechanism
- Antibodies to Acetylcholine Receptor
- Symptoms
- Ptosis
- Diplopia
- Weakness with Muscle Use
- Respiratory Death
- Thymus Associated
- Treatment
- Acetylcholinesterase Inhibitors
- Plasmapheresis
- Thymectomy
1 min
Ace Your Physician Assistant (PA) Classes & Exams with Picmonic:
Over 1,990,000 students use Picmonic’s picture mnemonics to improve knowledge, retention, and exam performance.
Choose the #1 Physician Assistant (PA) student study app.
Picmonic for Physician Assistant (PA) covers information that is relevant to your entire Physician Assistant (PA) education. Whether you’re studying for your classes or getting ready to conquer the PANCE® or PANRE®, we’re here to help.
Works better than traditional Physician Assistant (PA) flashcards.
Research shows that students who use Picmonic see a 331% improvement in memory retention and a 50% improvement in test scores.