Clinical Study

Family Medicine Clerkship Shelf Supplemental Study Guide

These are suggested study topics only. The actual shelf may cover topics not on this list. These articles give you the most up-to-date reading on the subjects.

Join the AAFP to access the articles.  It is free for students. https://www.aafp.org/home.html (external link) then click log in/create account.

Week 1 – Prevention and General Topics

• Preventative Care – Adults
  • USPSTF app
  • AFP 2018 “The Adult Well-Male Examination” (external link)
  • AFP 2017 “Health Maintenance in Postmenopausal Women” (external link)
  • AFP 2017 “Health Maintenance in Postmenopausal Women” (external link)
  • Intro to Men’s health Lecture
  • Preventive Medicine Workshop
• Well Women Care, including preconception and contraception
  • AFP 2021 “Health Maintenance for Women of Reproductive Age” (external link)
  • AFP 2022 “Evidence-Based Contraception” (external link)
  • Optional recorded lecture on canvas “The Pap Test  and Beyond The Well Woman Exam”
• Well Child Care
  • AFP 2018 “Breastfeeding: Common Questions and Answers” (external link)
  • AFP 2018 “Well Child Visits for Infants and Young Children” (external link)
  • AFP 2019 “Health Maintenance in School Aged Children – Parts 1 (external link) and 2 (external link)”
  • AFP 2020 “Screening and Counseling Adolescents and Young Adults” (external link)
• Vaccines
  • AFP 2022 “Adult Vaccination” (external link)
  • AFP 2015 “Update on Routine Childhood and Adolescent Immunizations” (external link)
  • ACIP Recommendations
  • Preventive Medicine Workshop
• Nutrition
  • AFP 2018 “Diets for Health: Goals and Deadlines” (external link)
  • AFP 2016 “Diet and Physical Activity for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention” (external link)
  • AFP 2020 “Update on Office-Based Strategies for the Management of Obesity” (external link)
  • Obesity Lecture
• Tobacco Cessation Substance Use Disorders
  • AFP 2022 “Smoking Cessation Interventions” (external link)
  • AFP 2019 “Opioid Use Disorder: Medical Treatment Options” (external link)
  • Tools to Understand and Motivate Patient Behavior Lecture
• Oral Health
  • Go to Smilesforlifeoralhealth.org to create a free account and log in to take the various courses, download PDFs, etc.
  • Canvas – resources/PowerPoint files will be available as well
• Geriatrics
  • AFP 2021 “Unintentional Weight Loss in Older Adults” (external link)
  • AFP 2015 “Management of Constipation in Older Adults” (external link)
  • AFP 2011 “The Geriatric Assessment” (external link)
• Pregnancy/Peripartum
  • AFP 2020 “Pregnancy Myths and Practical Tips” (external link)
  • AFP 2018 “The Pregnant Patient: Managing Common Acute Medical Problems” (external link)
  • AFP 2014 “Update on Prenatal Care” (external link)
  • Leadership in Primary Care and Osteoporosis Lecture

Week 2 – Chronic Diseases

• Hypertension
  • AFP 2015 “Common Questions about the Initial Management of Hypertension” (external link)
  • AFP 2017 “Severe Asymptomatic Hypertension: Evaluation and Treatment” (external link)
  • Caring for Chronic Outpatient Diseases Lecture
• Chronic Kidney Disease
  • AFP 2017 “Chronic Kidney Disease: Detection and Evaluation” (external link)
  • AFP 2019 “Diabetic Kidney Disease” (external link)
• Type 2 Diabetes
  • AFP 2016 “Diabetes Mellitus: Screening and Diagnosis” (external link)
  • AFP 2021 “Diabetes Related Foot Infections” (external link)
  • AFP 2019 “Type 2 Diabetes Therapies: A STEPS Approach” (external link)
• COPD
  • AFP 2023 “Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: Diagnosis and Management” (external link)
  • AFP 2014 “A Stepwise Approach to the Interpretation of Pulmonary Fiction Tests” (external link) OR you can look at AFP 2020 “Office Spirometry (external link)“
  • AFP 2020 “Chronic Dyspnea: Diagnosis and Evaluation” (external link)
  • AFP 2010 “Management of COPD Exacerbations” (external link)
• Asthma
  • AFP 2023 “Chronic Asthma Treatment: Common Questions and Answers” (external link)
  • AFP 2023 “Distinguishing Asthma and COPD in Primary Care” (external link)
  • AFP 2021 “Asthma Management: Updated Guidelines” (external link)
• Chronic MSK
  • AFP 2018 “Osteoarthritis: Rapid Evidence Review” (external link)
  • AFP 2018 “Mechanical Low Back Pain” (external link)
  • Wound Care 101
  • Approach to Joint Pain Lecture
  • Sports Medicine Workshop
• Depression, anxiety disorders, other psych
  • AFP 2018 “Depression: Screening and Diagnosis” (external link)
  • AFP 2023 “Pharmacologic Treatment of Depression” (external link)
  • AFP 2020 “ADHD in Children: Common Questions and Answers” (external link)
  • AFP 2022 “Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Panic Disorder in Adults” (external link)
  • AFP 2023 “Post-traumatic Stress Disorder: Evaluation and Treatment” (external link)
• Heart failure, CAD, and hyperlipidemia
  • AHA 2022 Heart Failure Guidelines Algorithm” (external link)
  • AFP 2017 “Cardiomyopathy: An Overview” (external link)
  • AFP 2017 “Heart Failure Due to Reduced Ejection Fraction: Medical Management” (external link)
  • AFP 2017 “Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction: Diagnosis and Management” (external link)
  • AFP 2023 “Statin Use for the Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease in Adults: Clinical Summary of the USPSTF Recommendation” (external link)
  • AFP 2018 “Stable Coronary Artery Disease: Treatment” (external link)
• Thyroid/endocrine disease
  • AFP 2022 “Parathyroid Disorders” (external link)
  • AFP 2021 “Thyroiditis: Evaluation and Treatment” (external link)
  • AFP 2021 “Hypothyroidism: Diagnosis and Treatment” (external link)
  • AFP 2016 “Hyperthyroidism: Diagnosis and Treatment” (external link)
• Dementia
  • AFP 2018 “Evaluation of Suspected Dementia” (external link)
• Bone disorders/diseases
  • AFP 2023 “Osteoporosis: Common Questions and Answers” (external link)
  • Leadership in Primary Care and Osteoporosis Lecture

Week 3 – Acute Presentations/Symptoms

• Dermatology – rashes, lesions
  • AFP 2018 “Annular Lesions: Diagnosis and Treatment” (external link)
  • AFP 2015 “Diagnosing Common Benign Skin Tumors” (external link)
  • AFP 2015 “Common Skin Rashes in Children” (external link)
  • AFP 2010 “The Generalized Rash: Part 1. (external link) Differential Diagnosis and Part 2. Diagnostic Approach. (external link)
  • AFP 2008 “Newborn Skin: Part 1. Common Rashes” (external link)
  • AFP 2013 “Psoriasis” (external link)
  • AFP 2020 “Atopic Dermatitis: Diagnosis and Treatment” (external link)
  • Dermatology Workshop
• Acute MSK pain, joint pain and injury
  • AFP 2023 “Polyarticular Joint Pain in Adults: Evaluation and Differential Diagnosis” (external link)
  • AFP 2016 “Acute Monoarthritis: Diagnosis in Adults” (external link)
  • AFP 2020 “Gout: Rapid Evidence Review” (external link)
  • AFP 2023 “Evaluating the Child with a Limp” (external link)
  • AFP 2018 “Common Running Injuries: Evaluation and Management” (external link)
  • AFP 2023 “Acute Shoulder Injuries in Adults” (external link)
  • AFP 2018 “Knee Pain in Adults and Adolescents: The Initial Evaluation” (external link)
  • AFP 2013 “Evaluation and Diagnosis of Wrist Pain” (external link)
  • AFP 2021 “Hip Pain in Adults: Evaluation and Differential Diagnosis” (external link)
  • AFP 2014 “Evaluation of Elbow Pain in Adults” (external link)
  • AFP 2021 “Common Fractures of the Radius and Ulna” (external link)
  • AFP 2016 “Diagnosis and Management of Common Foot Fractures” (external link)
  • AFP 2011 “Stress Fractures: Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention” (external link)
  • AFP 2020 “Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis” (external link)
  • Sports Medicine Workshop
  • Approach to Joint Pain Lecture
• Vaginal Bleeding and Menstrual Disorders
  • AFP 2019 “Abnormal Uterine Bleeding in Premenopausal Women” (external link)
  • AFP 2019 “Amenorrhea: A Systematic Approach to Diagnosis and Management” (external link)
• Headache
  • AFP 2022 “Acute Headache in Adults: A Diagnostic Approach” (external link)
  • AFP 2020 “Frequent Headaches: Evaluation and Mangement” (external link)
• Chest Pain, Palpitations
  • AFP 2020 “Acute Chest Pain in Adults: Outpatient Evaluation” (external link)
  • AFP 2017 “Palpitations: Evaluation in the Primary Care Setting” (external link)
• Stroke
  • AFP 2022 “Acute Stroke Diagnosis” (external link)
• Hepatitis, Hepatobiliary Disorders
  • AFP 2019 “Cirrhosis: Diagnosis and Management” (external link)
  • AFP 2014 “Surgical and Nonsurgical Management of Gallstones” (external link)
• Sexually Transmitted Infections, Vaginal Discharge
  • AFP 2022 “Sexually Transmitted Infections: Updates from the 2021 CDC Guidelines” (external link)
  • AFP 2022 “Chlamydial and Gonococcal Infections: Screening, Diagnosis, and Treatment” (external link)
  • AFP 2018 “Vaginitis: Diagnosis and Treatment” (external link)
  • CDC STI Treatment Guidelines APP

Week 4 – Acute Presentations/Symptoms Continued

• Cough, URI Fever
  • AFP 2019 “Treatment of the Common Cold” (external link)
  • AFP 2011 “Evaluation of the Patient with the Chronic Cough” (external link)
  • AFP 2016 “Common Questions about Streptococcal Pharyngitis” (external link)
  • AFP 2022 “Community Acquired Pneumonia in Adults” (external link)
  • AFP 2016 “Current Concepts in Adult Acute Rhinosinusitis” (external link)
  • AFP 2020 “Management of Fever in Infants and Young Children” (external link)
• Leg Swelling
  • AFP 2022 “Peripheral Edema: Evaluation and Management in Primary Care” (external link)
• Acute GU Complaints
  • AFP 2019 “Kidney Stones: Treatment and Prevention” (external link)
  • AFP 2015 “Dysuria: Evaluation and Differential Diagnosis in Adults” (external link)
  • AFP 2022 “Office-Based Urinalysis: A Comprehensive Review” (external link)
  • AFP 2020 “Acute Pyelonephritis in Adults” (external link)
  • AFP 2023 “Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia: Rapid Evidence Review” (external link)
• Acute Kidney Injury/Acute Renal Issues
  • AFP 2019 “Acute Kidney Injury” (external link)
  • AFP 2016 “Diagnosis and Management of Nephrotic Syndrome” (external link)
  • AFP 2003 “Diagnosis and Management of Acute Interstitial Nephritis” (external link)
• Dizziness
  • AFP 2023 “Dizziness: Evaluation and Management” (external link)
• Abdominal Pain/Diarrhea
  • AFP 2023 “Acute Abdominal Pain in Adults” (external link)
  • AFP 2016 “Acute Abdominal Pain in Children” (external link)
  • AFP 2019 “Gastroenteritis in Children” (external link)
  • AFP 2011 “Evaluation of Chronic Diarrhea” (external link)
  • AFP 2023 “Peptic Ulcer Disease and H. Pylori Infection” (external link)
• Anemia, Fatigue
  • AFP 2018 “Anemia in Older Adults” (external link)
  • AFP 2013 “Iron Deficiency Anemia: Evaluation and Management” (external link)
  • AFP 2022 “Alpha-and-Beta-Thalassemia: Rapid Evidence Review” (external link)
  • AFP 2022 “Common Sleep Disorders in Adults: Diagnosis and Management” (external link)

Additional Resources

• How to Be Awesome in an Ambulatory Clinical Rotation (external link)
• How to Write a High Quality Medical Note in the EMR (external link)