Partially because I am cheap, but mostly because I am lazy, I have put off taking USMLE Step 3 until now. Studying has made me realize how much I've forgot, but, I swear, I don't think I've ever heard about some of these things. Some examples:- I vaguely remember VIPomas from medical school, but glucagonomas? And who knew that 67-90% present with migratory necrolytic erythema?
- Drusen, apparantly, are refractile deposits that can occur in the optic nerve head. (And there is an unrelated syndrome: drusen of the retina)
- Shouldn't I know by now that epiphora is the medical word for tearing? It's a nice enough word, but why do we need another word when we have one that is specific and not vulgar?
- A pinguecula, helpfully, resembles a pterygium. Actually, it turns out that both of these nodules on the conjunctiva are common.
As might be apparent, I know virtually nothing about the eye. It might be because I spent 1 1/2 days in medical school on ophthalmology. I don't think that any of these things will be on the exam, but the words are beautiful, no?
Update: Drusen were indeed on today's exam.
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