Rectal cancer is where anatomy, oncology, and surgical decision-making all collide. In this episode, learn when to order pelvic MRI, when to give neoadjuvant chemoradiation, and when to choose Low Anterior Resection versus Abdominoperineal Resection.

Listen as Chris and Mars walk you through rectal cancer from first symptom to definitive surgery, with a tight focus on staging, local control, and those “next best step” questions that separate a passing score from a surgery shelf master.

Colon cancer is one of the highest-yield topics on the Surgery Shelf and Step 2 Clinical Knowledge – and one of the easiest places to lose points on subtle traps. This episode walks you through exactly how exam writers expect you to think, so you can move faster and more confidently on test day.

In this episode, Chris and Mars break down colon cancer from the ground up: how it presents, how to work it up, when to operate, and how to avoid the sneaky pitfalls that separate pass from honors. You will finally lock in the difference between right-sided and left-sided colon cancers (think anemia versus obstruction), understand why Streptococcus bovis bacteremia is never “just” endocarditis, and remember when CEA actually matters.

If you want colon cancer questions to feel automatic instead of stressful, this episode is your playbook. Listen in, review the algorithms, and get ready to crush every colon cancer vignette that shows up on your Surgery Shelf.

Ischemic colitis is one of the highest-yield gastrointestinal emergencies on the Surgery Shelf — and if you don’t know how to spot it fast, you’ll miss the diagnosis both on exams and in real life.

In this episode, Chris and Mars break down everything you need to recognize, diagnose, and manage ischemic colitis with complete confidence. From classic elderly patients with low-flow states to the watershed zones most vulnerable to hypoperfusion, this is the episode that turns a tricky vascular–GI crossover topic into an easy win.

A low-flow state doesn’t have to mean a low score. Listen in and dominate this high-yield topic with Chris and Mars.

Diverticulitis is one of those “can’t-miss” shelf exam topics that shows up again and again — and this episode breaks it all down so you’ll never confuse uncomplicated inflammation with a life-threatening perforation.

Chris and Mars walk through classic patient presentations, imaging pitfalls, and management strategies — from outpatient antibiotics to emergent surgery. You’ll also learn how to master the Hinchey classification, spot a colovesical fistula, and avoid the biggest test traps that trip students up.

Perfect for med students prepping for the Surgery Shelf or Step 2, this episode delivers the pearls you need — fast, focused, and high-yield.

Familial Adenomatous Polyposis and Lynch Syndrome (Hereditary Nonpolyposis Colorectal Cancer) — two hereditary colorectal cancer syndromes that look similar at first glance but couldn’t be more different when it comes to genetics, screening, and surgical management.

In this episode, Chris and Mars walk you through how to instantly spot the differences on exam questions and in real-life surgical decision-making. These syndromes love to show up on the Surgery Shelf and Step 2, and mastering them means knowing the genes, the patterns, and the procedures cold.

Hit play and lock this one in — it’s guaranteed to show up on your shelf exam and in the OR. Join Chris and Mars for another round of Surgery Shelf Prep!

Ulcerative Colitis loves to test your nerves — and your shelf knowledge. Continuous inflammation, rectal involvement, and surgical decision-making make this topic a guaranteed favorite on the Surgery Shelf.

In this episode, Chris and Mars walk through everything you need to crush Ulcerative Colitis questions — from recognizing the hallmark presentation to knowing exactly when surgery becomes life-saving.

Don’t let UC trip you up. Hit play, review your shelf pearls, and get ready to dominate your next surgery block with Chris and Mars on Surgery Shelf Prep!

Crohn’s Disease doesn’t play fair — it’s chronic, sneaky, and full-thickness. From skip lesions to fistulas, this disease hits every level of the gut, and it’s a shelf favorite.

In this episode, Chris and Mars break down everything you need to crush Crohn’s questions on your Surgery Shelf exam. They cover classic presentations, key diagnostic clues, medical and surgical management, and the can’t-miss complications that show up again and again in question stems.

You’ll learn how to: ✅ Recognize high-yield findings like cobblestoning, skip lesions, and non-caseating granulomas ✅ Differentiate Crohn’s from ulcerative colitis based on distribution, depth, and smoking effects ✅ Approach medical therapy — when to use steroids, immunomodulators, and biologics ✅ Manage abscesses, strictures, and fistulas with surgical precision ✅ Avoid common traps like giving steroids before ruling out an abscess

Perfect for med students prepping for the Surgery Shelf — and for anyone who wants to master the fundamentals of Crohn’s Disease like a future surgeon.

Peri-operative anticoagulation, simplified. Chris and Mars hit the must-know hold times, monitoring, and reversals for Unfractionated Heparin and Low Molecular Weight Heparin (including partial protamine), warfarin (four factor Prothrombin Complex Concentrate plus intravenous vitamin K), and the direct oral anticoagulants (andexanet for factor ten A inhibitors, idarucizumab for dabigatran). They also cover when to continue aspirin, how to pause P2Y12 agents around recent stents, and key neuraxial anesthesia timing red flags. Perfect quick refresher for pre-op huddles and shelf questions.

Bleeding disorders are a classic shelf trap—know how to tell them apart or risk losing easy points.

In this episode, Chris and Mars tackle three must-know causes of abnormal bleeding: Von Willebrand Disease, Hemophilia A, and Uremic Platelet Dysfunction. You’ll learn their hallmark presentations, the diagnostic clues that separate them, and the treatments that save patients and score points on test day.

We break down:

• Why mucocutaneous bleeding plus family history screams vWD
• How to use a mixing study to nail Hemophilia A
• Why uremic patients bleed despite normal labs
• When DDAVP is the right move—and when it isn’t
• Why platelet transfusions don’t help in renal failure

Perfect for med students prepping for the surgery shelf—this one locks in the essentials so you won’t miss on exam day.

Phosphorus doesn’t always get the spotlight—but on test day, it’s a game changer. From energy metabolism to bone health, imbalances can wreck patients and trip you up on the shelf.

In this episode, Chris and Mars break down the most high-yield phosphorus scenarios you need to master: Refeeding Syndrome, DKA after insulin therapy, Hungry Bone Syndrome, antacid and binder use, Fanconi syndrome, CKD-related hyperphosphatemia, tumor lysis syndrome, and post-thyroidectomy hypoparathyroidism. You’ll learn the classic presentations, the underlying pathophysiology, and the treatment pearls that show up again and again.

We cover:

• Why refeeding syndrome causes a dangerous phosphate crash
• How insulin in DKA unmasks total body phosphate depletion
• The difference between Hungry Bone Syndrome and surgical hypoparathyroidism
• Key pitfalls of antacids and phosphate binders
• What to do when CKD or tumor lysis drives phosphate dangerously high

Perfect for med students gearing up for the surgery shelf—this one locks in both the physiology and the test-day clues.