Four medical students from the USA College of Medicine gained valuable experience by presenting posters at the American College of Physicians’ annual Internal Medicine Meeting, held April 28-30 in Chicago.
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| Elizabeth Beddingfield |
Elizabeth Beddingfield, a rising fourth-year student, presented a case on excipient lung disease. Injecting crushed tablets intravenously can cause significant lung disease due to the harmful effects of excipients, which are the starches, binders and coatings that are included alongside a drug’s active ingredients. The case also illustrated the value of re-questioning patients when their disease presentation and severity do not match their reported exposure history, she said.
“I thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to present at the national ACP conference,” Beddingfield said. “As a medical student, it gave me a glimpse into my future as a healthcare professional and allowed me to interact with those who, one day in the future, will be my colleagues.”
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| Malvika Lall, M.D. |
Malvika Lall, M.D., who recently graduated with the Class of 2022, discussed pseudo-pseudo Meigs' syndrome as a rare side effect of Leflunomide, an immunosuppressive drug used to treat rheumatoid arthritis and other inflammatory conditions. The syndrome is characterized by pleural effusion, a buildup of fluid between the lungs and chest cavity; ascites, a condition in which fluid collects in the abdomen; and elevated cancer antigen (CA-125) with no evidence of tumor.
Lall soon will begin residency training in internal medicine at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis.
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| Sureena Monteiro-Pai |
Rising fourth-year student Sureena Monteiro-Pai’s case suggested that adrenal insufficiency should be included in the differential for any patient presenting with new-onset seizures and electrolyte abnormalities. The case also demonstrated how excessive beer consumption may exacerbate underlying disease and worsen electrolyte abnormalities, she said.
“At the ACP conference, I was able to network, learn from lectures given by physicians from around the nation, and explore career options,” Monteiro-Pai said. “This was extremely beneficial to my education, and I plan to attend future conferences.”
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| Cayla Van Alstine |
Cayla Van Alstine, also a rising fourth-year student, presented a clinical vignette depicting a diagnostically challenging case of autoimmune encephalitis and the utility of point-of-care ultrasound in timely diagnosis and treatment.
