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Abstract
This case study tells the story of “Claire,” an undergraduate student experiencing symptoms commonly attributed to stress as she juggles a demanding academic schedule, a part-time job, and the challenges that come from living away from home for the first time. After Claire’s primary care provider refers her to an endocrinologist, her test results reveal that she has a small pituitary adenoma that is secreting adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and causing her plasma concentration of cortisol to be high. Students are asked to relate Claire’s symptoms to the physiological consequences of excess cortisol secretion and to create a treatment plan for her Cushing’s disease. The case would be appropriate for use in undergraduate classes in human anatomy and physiology, human physiology, animal physiology, or endocrinology.