Common Paths in Medical Education: An Updated Look at the Training of Allopathic, Osteopathic, and Naturopathic Physicians.

Context: Allopathic, osteopathic, and naturopathic medical education all prepare students to practice medicine yet diverge in certain respects. Despite the significant changes that have occurred in the education of each discipline, a more recent comparison and analysis of these three pathways hasn't been published. Objective: The review intended to examine the five segments of the educational process common to all three pathways: admissions, preclinical education, clinical education, graduate medical education, and continuing medical education. Design: The research team's evaluations and assessments of each pathway are based on publicly available data collected from each pathway's accrediting organizations and from accredited institutions, because these organizations and institutions accurately reflect the generally-accepted standards and practices within each pathway. The research team performed data collection for this study in 2019 to 2020, and the article reflects the changes in the literature up to that point. Setting: The study took place at Rocky Vista University - Southern Utah in Ivins, Utah; the University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School in Austin, Texas; the Albany Medical Center in Albany, New York; and the National University of Health Sciences in Lombard, Illinois. Results: Naturopathic, allopathic, and osteopathic all undergo rigurous pre clinical training which highlights the basic sciences. Naturopathic schools generally have more in classroom hours and less in person clinical experience than osteopathic and allopathic training programs. All three professions have standardized board exams that cover the required curriculum. Many osteopathic students both take and pass the USMLE which highlights the similarities of their curriculum with the allopathic model. A similar comparison can not be made with naturopathic students as they do not take the USMLE. While all three education models have residency programs, naturopathic are more flexible and less standardized than ostopathic and allopathic residency programs. Limitations: Some data points had to be drawn from conversations as they were not publicly avalable. Credit hours are not sufficient to compare the scope of the curriculum of each education pathway. The NPLEX needs to be compared to both COMLEX and USMLE. Conclusions: Since 1997, the three major branches of educating physicians have continued to converge pedagogically. The currently most-notable similarity among the three pathways is the preclinical years and their basic-science curriculum. The combined match of allopathic and osteopathic residents, as well as increasing similarities and crossovers in curriculum and methods of practice, highlight this fact. Philosophy and methodologies of practice continue to distinguish these educational pathways, but their increasing similarities may lead to further convergence of practice and pedagogical models.

Brevundimonas diminuta coinfection as source of pyogenic liver abscess.

Brevundimonas diminuta, a non-fermenting gram-negative bacterium, is emerging as an important multidrug resistant opportunistic pathogen. It has been described in cases of bacteremia, pleuritis, keratitis and peritoneal dialysis-associated peritonitis. We describe, for the first time, a case of pyogenic liver abscess caused by coinfection of B. diminuta and Streptococcus anginosus, and briefly review pyogenic liver abscesses and the literature regarding B. diminuta.

Jejunal Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor as a Source of Small Bowel Bleeding: A Case Report.

INTRODUCTION: In a minority of patients with gastrointestinal bleeding, the offending lesion is not able to be identified using colonoscopy or esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD). For these patients, video capsule endoscopy has become a cornerstone for the diagnosis of gastrointestinal bleeding in the territory not accessible by colonoscopy or EGD. One uncommon cause of bleeding from the small bowel is a gastrointestinal stromal tumor. CASE PRESENTATION: We present the case of a 76-year-old man who presented with 2 weeks of melena that began after starting dual antiplatelet therapy with aspirin and clopidogrel after undergoing coronary artery stenting. After EGD and colonoscopy failed to identify the culprit, the patient underwent video capsule endoscopy, which identified a suspicious area concerning for intussusception. Computed tomography enterography was then performed and showed a short segment of bowel wall thickening. The patient underwent laparoscopic small bowel resection and was found to have a gastrointestinal stromal tumor.

Ectopic ACTH Production Caused by Metastatic Parotid Gland Acinic Cell Carcinoma.

OBJECTIVE: To present a case of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) hypersecretion caused by a metastatic acinic cell carcinoma (AcCC) of the parotid. Only 6 cases have been reported prior to October 2019. We believe that this condition is under-reported and hope that improved recognition will improve its reporting. METHODS: Diagnosis in this case was done using surgical pathology of the primary tumor, involving lymph nodes, and a metastatic lesion. Following an initial misdiagnosis, a final diagnosis of AcCC was made using immunohistochemical staining. ACTH hypersecretion was diagnosed by testing for random ACTH, cortisol, and 24-hour urine aldosterone and cortisol levels. RESULTS: A 57-year-old man presented with hypokalemia, lower-extremity edema, and left-side rib pain 7 months following excision of a 4-cm left-parotid tumor. Immunostaining positive for DOG-1, CK7, pan-cytokeratin (including CAM5.2), and SOX10 led to the diagnosis of AcCC. ACTH hypersecretion was diagnosed based on a random ACTH level of 307 pg/mL (normal morning value, 7.2-63 pg/mL), a cortisol level of 33 µg/dL (normal morning value, 4.3-19.8 µg/dL; normal PM value, 3.1-15.0 µg/dL), a 24-hour urine aldosterone level of <0.7 U (normal, 2.0-20 U), and a 24-hour urine cortisol level of 4564 U (normal, 3.5-45 U). The patient's ACTH hypersecretion and hypokalemia were treated with potassium replacement, amiloride, and ketoconazole. His metastatic recurrence was treated with radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy. The patient died after being diagnosed with sepsis secondary to multifocal postobstructive pneumonia 4 months after the diagnosis of his metastatic recurrence. CONCLUSION: Ectopic ACTH production caused by metastatic AcCC is a rare phenomenon but has been increasingly described over the last 15 years. We believe that this condition likely has a greater prevalence than what is reported and that improved recognition will lead to improved outcomes.

Iatrogenic Severe Splenic Injury after Colonoscopy.

Colonoscopy is a low-risk procedure performed for screening and diagnostic purposes. About 15 million colonoscopies were carried out in the United States in 2012 with this number projected to increase. Injury to the spleen as a complication of colonoscopy is still a rather rare occurrence. We report a case of significant splenic injury, American Association of Surgery for Trauma (AAST) grade III with hemoperitoneum, in a patient following diagnostic colonoscopy, managed conservatively without the need for invasive or salvage surgical procedure.

Physical therapy prehabilitation on a reverse total shoulder replacement candidate: a case study.

[Purpose] The purpose of this report is to describe the PT evaluation, prehab interventions, and outcomes of a patient pursuing reverse total shoulder replacement (rTSR) for pain reduction and functional gains. [Participant and Methods] A 62-year-old male self-referred to PT two months before his right rTSR. His chief complaints were right shoulder pain, stiffness, and functional impairment due to rotator cuff tendon tears and shoulder arthritis. He demonstrated poor posture, limited ROM, decreased strength, and diminished function. The PT prehab program consisted of an initial encounter followed by six treatment sessions across approximately one month. [Results] On the last visit, the patient's pain had meaningfully decreased along with improved posture, AROM, and muscle strength producing a clinically significant improvement in function resulting in the postponing of his rTSR. On a three months follow-up, the patient had maintained or improved in his test and measures and functional outcomes. He expressed satisfaction with the prehab outcomes and that he had indefinitely postponed his rTSR. [Conclusion] PT prehab program improved pre-operative measures on pain, posture, joint mobility, muscle strength, and function on a patient who had been scheduled for rTSR surgery. PT prehab program may delay the need for rTSR surgery.

Hepatocellular Glycogen Accumulation in the Setting of Poorly Controlled Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus: Case Report and Review of the Literature.

Glycogenic hepatopathy (GH) is the accumulation of glycogen in the hepatocytes and represents a rare complication in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM), most commonly type 1 DM. We present a case of a 23-year-old woman with a medical history of poorly controlled type 1 DM and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) who presented with progressively worsening right-sided abdominal pain. Diagnostic workup resulted in a liver biopsy with hepatocytes that stained heavily for glycogen with no evidence of fibrosis or steatohepatitis. A diagnosis of glycogenic hepatopathy was made, and an aggressive glucose control regimen was implemented leading to resolution of symptoms and improvement in AST, ALT, and ALP. In addition to presenting this rare case, we offer a review of literature and draw important distinctions between glycogenic hepatopathy and other differential diagnoses with the aim of assisting providers in the diagnostic workup and treatment of glycogenic hepatopathy.

Pyomyositis as an Unusual Presentation of Colonic Adenocarcinoma.

INTRODUCTION: Pyomyositis has been described in association with hematological malignancies. It is rarely associated with solid cancers, particularly colorectal carcinoma. Colorectal carcinoma can present with local or systemic abscesses by causing perforation of the colonic mucosa, followed by local or hematogenous spread of infection. CASE PRESENTATION: A 68-year-old male with a history of hypertension and type II diabetes mellitus presented to the emergency department with a 3-day history of left thigh pain. Magnetic resonance imaging of the thigh showed extensive intramuscular edema in the left thigh adductor and psoas muscles consistent with pyomyositis. An urgent debridement and irrigation of the left thigh revealed pan-sensitive Escherichia coli and Streptococcus viridans. Due to the suspicion of a gastrointestinal or genitourinary source of infection, computed tomography of the abdomen and pelvis showed an apple-core lesion along the mid-distal segment of the descending colon. Colonoscopy and biopsy confirmed the diagnosis of colonic adenocarcinoma. The patient underwent a laparoscopic left hemicolectomy with an end colostomy and was started on an adjuvant chemotherapy regimen with no significant side effects. CONCLUSION: Colorectal carcinoma can be associated with local or systemic abscess formation. When cultures from an abscess show enteric pathogens, it is essential to look to gastrointestinal or genitourinary tracts for the source of infection. Although rare, the diagnosis of pyomyositis should warrant further investigations to unmask the possible underlying cause.

Listeriosis in an immunocompetent patient after diagnostic colonoscopy.

We present an 80-year-old female with type II diabetes (well controlled) who presented to the emergency department with a hemoglobin of 6.5 mg/d consistent with iron deficiency anemia (IDA). As part of the workup for IDA, she had an esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) and colonoscopy. EGD was unremarkable. Colonoscopy revealed a mass occupying about 50% of the circumference of her descending colon suspicious for malignancy, which was biopsied. Thirty-six hours later, she developed fevers; blood cultures grew Listeria monocytogenes. Workup to identify the source of bacteremia was negative for other sources of infection. Due to the temporal relationship, the development of bacteremia was attributed to the disturbance of the gastrointestinal tract possibly from recent biopsy of the colonic mass. She was treated with penicillin for a total of about 4 weeks with complete resolution of symptoms and clearance of bacteremia. She had a transverse colectomy 6 weeks later with surgical pathology of the lesion showing intramucosal adenocarcinoma. This case represents a rare complication of colonoscopy and is novel because our patient was not immunocompromised as previously reported in other cases.

Acute mesenteric ischaemia secondary to portal, splenic and superior mesenteric vein thrombosis.

Mesenteric ischaemia represents an uncommon complication of splanchnic vein thrombosis which requires a high level of suspicion to diagnose in a timely manner. This report discusses a case of portal, splenic and superior mesenteric vein thrombosis leading to mesenteric ischaemia and infarct in a 79-year-old man. The diagnosis of acute mesenteric ischaemia and splanchnic vein thrombosis remains difficult due to the non-specific symptoms of these conditions. As diagnosis does continue to improve, treatment of acute mesenteric ischaemia using medical management has become increasingly possible before ischaemia advances to the point at which surgical resection is required.

Batch pH Oscillations in the Belousov-Zhabotinsky Reaction.

No single-phase system has been previously reported to give significant pH oscillations in a closed (batch) reactor. We report here sustained pH oscillations in batch for the Belousov-Zhabotinsky reaction using much lower [H+]0 and much higher [BrO3-]0 than in traditional studies of this reaction. In fact, pH oscillations were obtained in the presence of only BrO3-, malonic acid (MA), and Mn2+. The amplitude, frequency, and duration of oscillations tend to depend primarily on the ratio of [BrO3-]0 to [MA]0. A critical part of the proposed mechanism involves the reversible formation of a manganese(III) complex with bromomalonic acid, followed by two-electron oxidation to tartraric acid and Mn2+. Estimates of the corresponding rate constant values for these reactions have been obtained by simulation. It is suggested that the presence of a supercatalytic reaction in H+ may be a sufficient, if not necessary, requirement for the occurrence of pH oscillations in a batch system.