Background: A recent Society of Hospital Medicine survey reported that approximately 15% of hospitalist groups utilize physician assistants (PAs), and many more are looking to hire PAs to augment their physician services. However, finding physician assistants with hospitalist experience is difficult. Often employers have to recruit PAs from other specialties or hire new graduates who [...]

Case Presentation: A 35‐year‐old woman presented to the emergency department complaining of worsening shortness of breath of 2 days' duration. Her medical history was remarkable for mild intermittent bronchial asthma. Physical examination revealed an anxious young woman in moderate respiratory distress. Oxygen saturation was 94% on room air. Lung auscultation disclosed severe bilateral wheezing. She [...]

Case Presentation: A 23‐year‐old woman with a history of recently diagnosed diabetes mellitus (DM) type 2 and hypertension (HTN) and recent significant weight gain presented to the ED with a 2‐month history of extreme low back pain with associated LE weakness (R>L), bilateral LE hypesthesia, and occasional urine incontinence. Physical exam in the ED showed [...]

Case Presentation: An 86‐year‐old man with a history of hypertension and relapsing polychondritis (RPC) on remission with immunosuppressant therapy (MTX and PDN) presented with pleuritic chest pain and shortness of breath 6 months prior to admission. A pleural effusion was diagnosed that resolved with increased prednisone dose. Symptoms recurred 2 weeks prior to admission. Patient [...]

Case Presentation: A 51‐year‐old diabetic and hypertensive woman was life‐flighted with complaints of fever, headache, mental status changes, and acute respiratory failure. She was found to be in diabetic ketoacidosis. Vancomycin, ceftriaxone, and an insulin drip were initiated. A year ago, the patient was treated for an episode of pneumococcal meningitis. Lumbar puncture with cerebrospinal [...]

Case Presentation: This is a 29‐year‐old African American man who suffered from a work‐related crush injury leading to multiple complications including maxillary and sacral fractures as well as kidney and liver lacerations. He underwent multiple orthopedic surgeries and had a hospital course complicated by severe anemia (requiring blood transfusions), respiratory failure, and refractory hypertension. His [...]

Case Presentation: A 29‐year‐old man with a medical history of melanoma was being treated in the hospital for radiation‐induced esophagitis. He was first diagnosed with melanoma in the axillary region 5 years ago and since 1 year had developed metastases to the brain, lungs, liver, and spine. He had been treated with chemotherapy and radiation [...]

Case Presentation: A 38‐year‐old man was brought by EMS after resuscitation following cardiac arrest. The patient was walking on the street when he collapsed and lost consciousness. EMS found the patient to be cold, clammy, diaphoretic, and pulseless with a wide‐complex tachycardia. He underwent successful resuscitation in the field and was brought to the ER. [...]

Case Presentation: A 61‐year‐old nonsmoker presented with right‐sided weakness and an unstable gait for 2 days. Exam showed an obvious right‐sided weakness and dysarthria. He was admitted for inpatient care. PE revealed an edentulous, frail male with stable vitals. Pertinent positives included a left facial droop and right‐sided motor weakness. Lung exam revealed coarse crackles [...]

Case Presentation: A 24‐year‐old Hispanic woman was admitted 2 weeks postpartum by the obstetricians with fever and back pain and treated empirically for postpartum endometritis. A medical consultation was requested to evaluate for other sources of fever. On exam, she was febrile, tachycardic, and complaining of back pain. Her lung exam revealed some diminished breath [...]