Patient Profile: 24-year-old Female Chief Complaint: Nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain.
History of Present Illness (HPI): A 24-year-old female with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus presents to the ED with 2 days of vomiting and diffuse abdominal pain. She ran out of her insulin supplies 4 days ago. She reports feeling very thirsty and urinating frequently over the last 48 hours.
Physical Examination:
Diagnostic Evaluation:
Assessment: Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA).
Management Plan:
Unlike subject-based reviews (e.g., "Cardiology Chapter 5"), case-based learning mirrors the unpredictability of real-world practice. A patient doesn't present with a label like "acute myocardial infarction"; they present with "chest pain radiating to the jaw, diaphoresis, and a history of hypertension." Working through clinical cases trains the mind to:
In the demanding field of internal medicine, bridging the gap between theoretical knowledge and bedside application is a perpetual challenge. This is where resources like Clinical Cases in Internal Medicine—particularly in PDF format—become indispensable. A well-curated collection of cases serves not as a traditional textbook, but as a virtual clinic, allowing learners to engage with realistic patient scenarios anytime, anywhere.
Beginners focus only on the abnormal. Experts note what is absent. A case of dyspnea with normal BNP makes heart failure unlikely. A case of abdominal pain with normal lipase rules out pancreatitis. Train yourself to notice negative findings.
Edited by: [Your Name/Institution] Target Audience: Medical Students, Residents, and Primary Care Practitioners
Patient Profile: 65-year-old Male Chief Complaint: Yellowing of the skin and weight loss. clinical cases in internal medicine pdf
History of Present Illness (HPI): The patient presents with a 3-week history of progressive yellowing of his eyes and skin. He notes dark urine and pale, clay-colored stools. He has lost 15 lbs unintentionally over the last two months. He denies abdominal pain but reports generalized pruritus. He has a history of chronic alcohol use but stopped drinking 10 years ago.
Physical Examination:
Diagnostic Evaluation:
Assessment: Obstructive Jaundice, highly suspicious for Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma (Courvoisier’s Law: palpable gallbladder in a jaundiced patient without pain usually suggests malignancy).
Management Plan:
Patient Profile: 68-year-old Female Chief Complaint: Worsening dyspnea and chronic cough.
History of Present Illness (HPI): The patient presents with a 6-month history of progressive shortness of breath and a non-productive cough. She reports that she feels "puffy" and has noticed swelling in her ankles. She has a 40-pack-year smoking history but quit 5 years ago. She denies fever or chills.
Physical Examination:
Diagnostic Evaluation:
Assessment: Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF). Diagnostic Evaluation:
Management Plan:
Load your PDF onto an iPad or Android tablet with a stylus. Highlight physical exam findings in one color, labs in another, and treatment in a third. Draw your own diagrams in the margins (e.g., the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system for a case of hyperkalemia).