I've come across some questions that ask you to recognize what's in the given picture. Usually, the question is very simple asks what it is, but these questions are always the hardest for me. Any advice?
Histologically, know:
leydig cells vs sertoli cells (leydig are aka interstitial cells, so they're the ones outside the blood-testes barrier)
the menstrual phases (i.e., follicular is straight glands; luteal is coiled, but early luteal is without secretions and late is with)
alveolar cells (e.g., type I vs II pneumocytes, etc.). USMLE really really likes this!!!
know blue cell infiltration is typically neutrophils (e.g., old guy who's afebrile and has dribbling, diagnosis is not BPH but actually chronic prostatitis if image has craploads of small, blue cells [most old guys have BPH so most have hesitancy, dribbling, etc.]). If it's a cancer and there's small blue cells, it's some kind of neuroendocrine/carcinoid/small cell/S-100+ one.
absolutely know the layers of the adrenal gland (cortex and medulla) on histology; ultra-thin capsule looks like a layer but don't confuse it with the zona glomerulosa (that is, the cortex can look like it has 'four' layers on histology, so be careful)
know SCC vs BCC on histology
know what Celiac vs lactase-deficiency look like (i.e., loss of villi vs normal); know abetalipoproteinemia has fat goblets in the enterocytes.
Grossly, be able to identify the ACL vs PCL of the knee on MRI (sounds hyper-specific but it shows up).
Be able to identify a schwannoma at the cerebelopontine junction on MRI; pilocytic astrocytoma in kids has solid AND cystic components on MRI
Lesser sac on abdo x-ray
Annoying, but know the sarcomere on EM. This is really really HY!!!
If they show you a cilium in 2D cross-section showing you the 9x2 microtubule pattern, the answer is primary ciliary dyskinesia aka Kartagener
There are others, but those are HY ones off the top of my head.
