The Rx Bricks Podcast

What is substance use disorder (SUD), how does addiction affect the brain, and what are the most effective approaches to diagnosis and treatment? In this episode of the Rx Bricks Podcast , we explore the epidemiology, neurobiology, diagnosis, and evidence-based treatment of substance use disorders. Designed for medical students and healthcare learners, this AudioBrick explains how substance use ca...

Megaloblast. Now there’s a word you don’t hear every day. The root -blast comes from the Greek blastos , meaning “germ” or “bud,” and is familiar from terms like blast cells —very young hematopoietic precursor cells. Megalo- comes from the Greek megas , meaning “large” or “great,” as in splenomegaly . So is a megaloblast simply a large, immature cell? Not quite. In this episode, we break down mega...

Multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN) refers to a group of rare inherited syndromes that increase the risk of developing tumors in multiple endocrine organs. MEN affects men and women at roughly equal rates and occurs across geographic, racial, and ethnic groups. These syndromes are caused by genetic mutations inherited in an autosomal dominant pattern, meaning an affected parent has a 50% chance of...

In this episode, we explore stimulants and cognitive-enhancing drugs, medications used to improve alertness, attention, memory, and cognition. You’ll learn how commonly used agents such as amphetamines, methylphenidate, modafinil, caffeine, donepezil, rivastigmine, galantamine, and memantine work, along with the conditions they’re used to treat. We’ll also review important adverse effects, contrai...

Why does a patient on furosemide end up needing a potassium supplement? In this episode we walk the length of the nephron— proximal tubule, loop of Henle, distal convoluted tubule, and collecting duct—and trace exactly how each segment reabsorbs and secretes to keep sodium, water, potassium, and acid-base in balance. Along the way we hit the transporters and drug targets that show up again and aga...

Gallstones are hardened deposits that form when substances such as cholesterol or unconjugated bilirubin become overly concentrated in bile. They vary greatly in size and often cause no symptoms, but stones that leave the gallbladder can obstruct the biliary tract and cause inflammation or infection. After listening to this AudioBrick, you should be able to: Compare cholelithiasis, choledocholithi...

Digestion is regulated by a complex network of hormones, peptides, and neural signals. In this episode, we review the major gastrointestinal hormones, introduce several secondary regulatory peptides, and explain how the GI tract senses its luminal contents and integrates multiple signals to control digestive function. After listening to this episode, you should be able to: Identify the source, rel...

Question Lab: Neuro for Step 1 Think you can spot a subarachnoid hemorrhage from the clues alone? What about localizing a stroke to the exact arterial distribution? In this episode of Question Lab, Dr. Abraham Titus walks through 4 board-style neurology questions, breaking down the clinical clues, teaching the underlying pathophysiology, and walking through the answers step by step. Pause the epis...

Looking for more information on this topic? Check out the Shock brick. If you enjoyed this episode, we’d love for you to leave a review on  Apple Podcasts .  It helps with our visibility, and the more med students (or future med students) listen to the podcast, the more we can provide to the future physicians of the world. Follow  USMLE-Rx  at: Facebook: facebook.com/usmlerx Blog: usmle-rx.com/blo...

Tackle High-Yield Concepts for USMLE Step 2 CK Cardiology This interactive session, led by Dr. Abraham Titus (Hematology/Oncology Fellow, University of South Alabama) and ScholarRx’s Jeff Downing, focuses on challenging USMLE Step 2 CK cardiology questions that will sharpen your clinical decision-making skills and deepen your understanding of cardiovascular medicine. WHAT YOU’LL LEARN:...

Looking for more information on this topic? Check out the Physiology of the Renal Tubular System brick. If you enjoyed this episode, we’d love for you to leave a review on  Apple Podcasts .  It helps with our visibility, and the more med students (or future med students) listen to the podcast, the more we can provide to the future physicians of the world. Follow  USMLE-Rx  at: Facebook: facebook.c...

Looking for more information on this topic? Check out the Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia brick. If you enjoyed this episode, we’d love for you to leave a review on  Apple Podcasts .  It helps with our visibility, and the more med students (or future med students) listen to the podcast, the more we can provide to the future physicians of the world. Follow  USMLE-Rx  at: Facebook: facebook.com/usmle...

Looking for more information on this topic? Check out the Thrombotic Disorders: Foundations and Frameworks  brick. If you enjoyed this episode, we’d love for you to leave a review on  Apple Podcasts .  It helps with our visibility, and the more med students (or future med students) listen to the podcast, the more we can provide to the future physicians of the world. Follow  USMLE-Rx  at: Facebook:...

Looking for more information on this topic? Check out the Physiology of Diuretics brick. If you enjoyed this episode, we’d love for you to leave a review on  Apple Podcasts .  It helps with our visibility, and the more med students (or future med students) listen to the podcast, the more we can provide to the future physicians of the world. Follow  USMLE-Rx  at: Facebook: facebook.com/usmlerx Blog...

Join us for this special edition of the Rx Bricks Podcast, featuring a complete Rx Question Lab session designed to help medical students master high-yield neurological concepts for USMLE Step 1. In this interactive session, we work through four challenging board-style questions that cover essential neurology topics, including speech disorders, genetic syndromes affecting the nervous system, strok...

Looking for more information on this topic? Check out the Emergent Hypertension  brick. If you enjoyed this episode, we’d love for you to leave a review on  Apple Podcasts .  It helps with our visibility, and the more med students (or future med students) listen to the podcast, the more we can provide to the future physicians of the world. Follow  USMLE-Rx  at: Facebook: facebook.com/usmlerx Blog:...

Glucose is the main source of energy for all forms of life, but it isn’t usually stored as individual C6H12O6 molecules. Animals use glycogen to do that job. Glycogen is a large branched polymer of glucose molecules, linked together by α-1,4 and α-1,6 glycosidic bonds. The liver and muscles break down the stored glycogen whenever the body needs an extra boost of glucose. Glycogen storage diseases...

Looking for more information on this topic? Check out the Acid-Base Disorders: Putting it all Together brick. If you enjoyed this episode, we’d love for you to leave a review on  Apple Podcasts .  It helps with our visibility, and the more med students (or future med students) listen to the podcast, the more we can provide to the future physicians of the world. Follow  USMLE-Rx  at: Facebook: face...

Looking for more information on this topic? Check out the Adrenal Insufficiency brick. If you enjoyed this episode, we’d love for you to leave a review on  Apple Podcasts .  It helps with our visibility, and the more med students (or future med students) listen to the podcast, the more we can provide to the future physicians of the world. Follow  USMLE-Rx  at: Facebook: facebook.com/usmlerx Blog:...

Early in fetal development, the precursors of the major systems in the body are outlined. The three germ layers (endoderm, mesoderm, ectoderm) are formed during the third week of development. We’ll focus on the ectoderm, from which the entire nervous system (central and peripheral) forms. But first, let’s back up to review the anatomy of the central nervous system (CNS) and peripheral nervous syst...

Differences in ion concentrations inside and outside a cell cause a difference in the charge of the intracellular and extracellular environments. This electrical polarization of a cell relative to its environment is referred to as cellular membrane potential. This potential serves as an energy source for a variety of cellular functions and as a way for excitable cells like muscle cells and neurons...

What are bullous skin disorders? Bullae are fluid-filled blisters >1 cm in diameter. They can be caused by infection, mechanical stress, or a malfunctioning immune system. In this discussion, we tackle the latter, focusing on the most common autoimmune bullous (blistering) disorders: pemphigus vulgaris, bullous pemphigoid, and dermatitis herpetiformis. Distinctly, the blisters in each of these...

A macrovascular complication of diabetes, diabetic nephropathy is progressive, chronic kidney disease seen in patients with both type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus, usually after at least 10 years of hyperglycemia (high blood glucose levels). The three main lesions that are seen in the kidney in patients with diabetes are glomerular lesions, vascular lesions, and pyelonephritis. This brick will f...

It might not be the flashiest anatomical structure, but if you want to stand upright, and keep your retroperitoneal organs (like your kidneys) in place, the posterior abdominal wall is pretty important. Located at the back of the body, bounded by the lateral abdominal walls and the posterior parietal peritoneum, the posterior abdominal wall is a complex combination of muscles, bones, nerves, and v...

Epithelium is one of the four basic tissue types (the other three are muscle tissue, nerve tissue, and connective tissue). It is found throughout the body—covering it; lining organs, vessels, and cavities; and forming glands. It absorbs nutrients, transports electrolytes, secretes hormones, and regulates body temperature by producing sweat. We begin with some general principles of how epithelial t...