This lecture discusses how seemingly innocuous injuries in very young children are strongly correlated with more serious occult injuries from abuse, and/or precede escalating and potentially fatal abuse in the future. The lecture will also discuss how medical providers can use a validated decision-making tool when assessing injuries in these young children. In addition it will address how providers can acknowledge their explicit and implicit biases and work to prevent these from affecting their decision to act in these difficult situations.

Fragility fractures are a significant public health concern, often overlooked or misdiagnosed, but their impact on patients’ quality of life can be profound. This presentation is designed to shed light on this epidemic by emphasizing the importance of a collaborative, multidisciplinary approach to fragility fracture care, to ensure patients receive comprehensive and timely support and improve patient outcomes.  Objectives include: 

1. Define fragility fractures and review the incidence, causes and risk factors.
2. Recognize the signs and symptoms of fragility fractures and understand the importance of early detection.
3. Discuss the importance of timely referrals and implementing a collaborative, multidisciplinary approach aimed at reducing complications associated with fragility fractures.
4. Evaluate the relationship between low socioeconomic status and the increased risk of fragility fractures.
5. Integrate knowledge of fragility fracture recognition and management into clinical practice to improve patient outcomes.

This lecture will include the epidemiology and common risk factors of Osteoporosis.  It will summarize some of the social determinants identified to reduce health disparities and improve screening and care, clinical evaluation focusing primarily on the DXA/DEXA test, and outline the management of osteoporosis.  Objectives include: 

1. Discuss the epidemiology of Osteoporosis

2. Identify the common risk factors for the development of Osteoporosis

3. Recognize some social determinants to reduce health disparities in screening and management of Osteoporosis.

4. Discuss the clinical evaluation focusing on Dual X-ray Absorptiometry tests scans.

5. Summarize the treatment options to manage Osteoporosis.

Chronic pain is particularly common and problematic in older adults (≥age 65). Untreated pain in older adults often contributes to poor quality of life, social isolation, impaired physical activity, and dependence in performing daily activities. According to 2021 data, more than 55.8 million adults ages 65 and older live in the U.S., accounting for about 16.8% of the nation's population. This is a significant patient population needing recognition of issues and treatment.  Objectives include:

1. Identify common causes of pain in the older adult. 

2. Discuss population specific parameters, including socioeconomic and ethnic barriers to pain treatment.

3. Formulate a treatment plan for pain relief in the geriatric patient including pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic methods.

This presentation is designed to provide an overview of psoriatic arthritis and its place in the hierarchy of rheumatic disease along with the current ACR diagnostic criteria.  The goals of this presentation are to provide participants with the essential information required to develop a differential diagnosis as well as a better understand of the current guidelines for and pitfalls in care for patients with psoriatic arthritis.  Objectives include: 

1. Compare the common features of psoriatic arthritis with other types of seronegative spondyloarthropathies.

2. Describe the factors underlying the pathogenesis of psoriatic arthritis using the ACR diagnostic guidelines.

3. Recognize early signs and symptoms of psoriatic arthritis versus other types of inflammatory joint disease.

4. Develop a strategy to manage patients with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis and disease comorbidities.

5. Define the course and prognosis of psoriatic arthritis.

Muscle strains, ligament sprains, tendon tears, joint dislocations, and fractures are common orthopedic injuries that can have lasting adverse effects.  Critical emergent orthopedic injuries such as large bone fractures, open fractures, and compartment syndrome have pronounced risk factors for complications.  Suppose these injuries are not initially treated and rehabilitated adequately.  The patient can suffer from repeat injuries of the same joint, chronic pain, and functional impairment. This lecture will explore these emergent orthopedic injuries, their clinical presentations and findings, treatment, and complications in depth.  It presents several mnemonics that aid non-orthopedic physician assistants in assessing, describing, and treating orthopedic cases. Objectives include: 

1. Discuss the acute and lasting effects of the most common orthopedic injuries: muscle strains, ligament sprains, tendon tears, joint dislocations, and fractures.  

2. Recall the most critical emergent orthopedic injuries: large bone fractures, open fractures, and compartment syndrome and their pronounced risk factors for complications.  

3. Understand whether there are discrepancies in emergent orthopedic injury care.

4. Remember the clinical presentations, findings, treatment, and complications of emergent orthopedic injuries.  

5. Learn several mnemonics that aid non-orthopedic physician assistants in assessing, describing, and treating orthopedic cases.