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The following example would be typical of what you might expect to get in one of the 'short case' parts in clinical finals. The number of cases examined will vary from student to student. Most students in my year saw between 5 and 9 cases in each round of 'shorts'. I have not included answers to the questions, except where necessary to allow you to follow the case.

Case 1 (surgical)

• "Look at this man's abdomen. What is the most obvious abnormality?" - swelling around the umbilicus.
• "What is the most likely diagnosis?" - paraumbilical hernia.
• "Show me how to examine a hernia."
• "What would the management options be in this case?"

Case 2 (surgical)

• "Palpate this patient's abdomen, and tell me your findings." - expansile pulsatile mass just above the umbilicus.
• "How would you investigate this mass?"
• "What are the complications of an abdominal aortic aneurysm?"
• "What signs might indicate impending aneurysm rupture?"
• "What are the risk factors for aneurysm formation?"

Case 3 (surgical)

• "Look at this patient's legs and tell me what you see." - venous ulcer, with skin changes in keeping with chronic venous insufficiency.
• "What other types of ulcers do you know?"
• "How would you manage this patient?"
• "What is the role of surgery in the management of leg ulcers?"

Case 4 (surgical)

• "Examine this man's scrotum, and tell me your findings." - 'bag of worms'-type mass
• "What is the diagnosis?"
• "Which side do varicoceles most commonly occur on, and what is the anatomical reason for this?"

Case 5 (medical)

• "Look at this patient's hands." - typical rheumatoid hands.
• "What is the diagnosis?"
• "What are the management options in rheumatoid arthritis."
• "Which classes of drugs are commonly used in treating rheumatoid arthritis?"
• "What non-pharmacological treatments can be used?"

Case 6 (medical)

• "Examine this patient's fundus." - typical changes of advanced diabetic retinopathy.
• "What is the diagnosis."

Case 7 (medical)

• "Auscultate this patient's heart and tell me your findings." - ejection systolic murmur loudest in aortic area, radiating to carotids.
• "What is the diagnosis?"
• "What clinical findings would you use to assess the severity of the aortic stenosis?"
• "What are treatment options?"

Case 8 (medical)

• "Look at this patients abdomen and tell me the diagnosis." - Neurofibromatosis.

Case 9 (medical)

• "Look at this patient, and tell me the diagnosis." Parkinsonian facies and tremor ? Parkinson's disease.