Book excerpt: An important addition to the popular Step-Up series, Step-Up to Emergency Medicine uses the proven series format to provide a high-yield review of emergency medicine, ideal for preparing for clerkships/clinical rotations, end of rotation/shelf exams, and the USMLE Step 2. Clinical pearls, full-color illustrations, and "Quick Hits" provide essential information in an efficient, easy-to-remember manner, perfect for medical, physician assistant, and nurse practitioner students. Step-Up to Emergency Medicine delivers exactly what you need to know--both for exam preparation and for practical use in the evaluation and treatment of patients in the emergency department. Succinct, outline approach focuses on the core content you need to know. "Quick Hits" in the margins highlight highly testable topics. Clinical pearls help you identify clinical connections for handy retrieval at test time, and aid in the transition from basic science to clinical medicine. More than 100 full-color photographs and line drawings illustrate key concepts throughout. Easy-to-follow algorithms show examples of effective clinical reasoning, particularly for similar complaints. Numerous charts, tables, graphs, and mnemonics facilitate easy retention of essential material. 100 online questions with complete rationale for correct and incorrect answers, help prepare you for exams and clinical practice. Coverage includes every essential area of emergency medicine, including psychiatric, pediatric, and environmental emergencies; trauma, wounds, toxicology, and medicolegal considerations-as well as must-know information on relevant pathophysiology, clinical features, differential diagnoses, patient evaluation, therapy, and more.