Rearfoot / Ankle · Trauma · Infection & Wound · Standard
Curb Trip
Podiatric surgery residency interview case. Work through it the way you would at an interview: take the history, ask for the exam and imaging, then commit to a diagnosis and plan.
Chief complaint
"I tripped on a curb and my foot is bleeding."
29-year-old male brought to the ED by EMS.
History of present illness
Acute onset of pain to the RIGHT foot after tripping on a curb. He had immediate pain and was unable to bear weight, then noticed blood soaking through his sock. EMS brought him to the ED.
- Injury about 1 hour prior to arrival; foot was dressed by EMS
- Pain 9/10, constant, posterior/lateral heel, worse with any movement
- No head strike or loss of consciousness; no back, hip or knee pain
- No numbness or tingling reported; no other injuries
- Last meal about 3 hours ago; tetanus status unknown
Questions a strong candidate asks at this step
- Exact time and mechanism of injury (low vs high energy, contamination — street, soil, water?)
- How long has the wound been open; what dressing/treatment did EMS give?
- Able to bear weight immediately? Now?
- Head strike / LOC; back, pelvic, knee pain (axial load → spine fracture)
- Numbness, tingling, coldness — the 6 Ps
- Constitutional symptoms
Present the rest of the case
Past history, exam, imaging, assessment, plan and discussion questions, with model answers, are in the interactive trainer. The diagnosis is kept there on purpose so you can practice committing to one.