Question. Regarding the anatomy of the larynx, which one of the following statements is FALSE? It joins the top of the trachea at the level of C6 The vocal cords lie inferior to the epiglottis [...]

FRCEM Primary Revision Below is a list of ten educational modules, five from RCEM learning and five from Doctors.net.uk Education, which have a basic science focus and are useful for FRCEM primary revision. If you [...]

Question. Which one of the following statements is true regarding the pathophysiology of pulmonary shunts? a. Alveolar ventilation and the alveolar–arterial (A-a) gradient are both increased b. Alveolar ventilation and gas exchange are both reduced [...]

Below is a list of ten educational modules, five from RCEM learning and five from Doctors.net.uk Education, which have a basic science focus and are useful for FRCEM primary revision. If you haven’t found RCEM [...]

Question. Which one of the following statements regarding lithium (Li) is FALSE? a. It has a narrow therapeutic range b. Lithium levels are increased by drugs which induce cytochrome p450 c. Serum lithium levels for [...]

Question. A normally well 17yr old woman is noted to have marked peripheral cyanosis. Pulse oximetry shows oxygen saturations of 79% though a follow up arterial blood gas records a normal Pa02. Which of the [...]

Question. Renal blood flow is increased by which one of the following set of circulating hormones? a. Dopamine and angiotensin II b. Dopamine and renin c.Angiotensin II and renin d.Prostaglandins and angiotensin e.Prostaglandins and dopamine [...]

Question. A young boy with known peanut allergy presents with an anaphylactic reaction after eating Thai food. Which one of the following statements is most true of the pathophysiology of this condition in this boy? [...]

Question. Which of the following is true regarding the action of deltoid muscle? a.It has two distinct parts b.It is supplied by musculocutaneous nerve c.It initiates abduction of the shoulder d.It acts with latissimus dorsi [...]

Question. A young woman presents with a recurrence of her pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). Which one of the following is FALSE regarding this presentation? a.Group B streptococcus is the most common cause b.Chlamydia and gonorrhoea [...]

Question. Which one of the following statements is true of the spread of electrical activity through the heart? a. Conduction velocity in atrio-ventricular (AV) node is 5 meters/second b. Atrioventricular (AV) nodal delay gives ventricles [...]

Question. Angiotensin II has all the following physiological effects EXCEPT which one? a. Increased thirst b. Arteriolar vasoconstriction c. Renin release from the juxtaglomerular apparatus d. Suppression of aldosterone release from the adrenal cortex e. [...]

Question. In a young patient symptomatic from aspirin (salicylate) overdose, which one of the following is true? a.Activated charcoal is ineffective b.Early symptoms are typically visual disturbance and haematemnesis c.Mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation is stimulated d.Persistent [...]

Question. All the following arteries which supply the face and scalp with blood are branches of the external carotid artery EXCEPT which one? a. Facial artery b. Superficial temporal artery c. Maxillary artery d. Ophthalmic [...]

Question. A middle aged man with back pain complains of pain and anaesthesia down the medial aspect of the lower leg. Which one of the following lower limb dermatomes corresponds best to the location of [...]

Below is a list of ten educational modules from RCEM learning which have a basic science focus and are useful for FRCEM primary revision. If you haven’t found RCEM learning before, it is a great [...]

Question. A 56yr old man with previous cardiac disease presents with palpitations and a broad complex tachycardia on his ECG. Which one of the following electrocardiographic features would indicate that the rhythm is ventricular tachycardia [...]

Question. All the following statements regarding the anion gap are true EXCEPT which one? a. It may be calculated by the formula, anion gap (AG) =  ([Na+] + [K+]) − ([Cl-] + [HCO3−]) b. Normal [...]

Question. Which one of the following is correct regarding the anatomy of the fascia iliaca compartment? a.its roof is formed by the fascia lata b.its floor is formed by the fascia iliaca c.the femoral artery [...]

Question. Which one of the following statements is correct regarding the movement of fluid across the capillary endothelium? a. Water and electrolytes are actively transported across the capillary endothelium b. Capillary hydrostatic pressure is greatest [...]

Question. A traveller returning from a tropical country attends the ED with recurrent fevers and at triage has a temperature of 39.8degC and rigors. He has a positive P. Falciparum antigen test. Which one of [...]

Question. A healthy young man suffered a fracture of the tibia and fibula 6 weeks ago, which has been treated in a below elbow plaster cast. The cast is removed at fracture clinic for repeat [...]

Question. Which one of the following statements is FALSE regarding calcium homeostasis in the body? a.99% of plasma calcium is bound to albumin b.low plasma calcium stimulates parathyroid hormone (PTH) secretion c.parathyroid hormone (PTH) stimulates [...]

Question. Ultrafiltration in the renal glomerulus is facilitated by all of the following EXCEPT which one? a.fenestrations within the glomerular capillary endothelium b.positive charge of the glomerular capillary basement membrane c.filtration slits in the epithelium [...]

Question. Which one of the following statements regarding tetanus is correct? a.Clostridium tetani is a gram negative organism b.The period from inoculation to symptoms is 48 hours c.Tetanospasmin blocks acetylcholine receptors at neuromuscular junctions d.Human [...]

Question. The number needed to treat (NNT) can be calculated from which one of the following measures? a.sensitivity b.specificity c.absolute risk reduction d.relative risk reduction e.number needed to harm (NNH) [...]

Question. Which one of the following inflammatory mediators is NOT derived from arachidonic acid? a.bradykinin b.prostaglandin c.thromboxane d.leukotrienes   e.prostacyclin [...]

Question. A 40 yr old pedestrian hit by a car and has suffered a fracture to the proximal fibula. On examination, it is noted that he has foot drop and reduced sensation over the lateral [...]

Question. A 56yr old woman with vitiligo becomes hypotensive and generally unwell and is diagnosed with primary adrenocortical insufficiency (Addison’s disease). Which one of the following statements is true of this condition? a. cortisol is [...]

Question. A 60yr old man with widespread malignancy and sinusitis presents with severe headache, fever and proptosis. He is diagnosed with the cavernous sinus syndrome. All of the following structures are at risk of compression [...]

Question. An 18yr old female is seen in the ED with suspected meningococcal meningitis. Which one of the following is true regarding Neisseria meningitidis? a. it is a gram-negative diplococcus bacterium b. it is carried [...]

Question. Which one of the following is correct regarding stroke volume in a healthy person? a. it is the amount of blood expelled from the ventricle in one minute b. it is proportional to left [...]

Question. Which one of the following lung volumes and capacities CANNOT be measured using a spirometer? a. vital capacity (FVC) b. functional residual capacity (FRC) c. forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) d. tidal [...]

Question. A 15yr old boy suffers a lower brachial plexus injury as a result of grasping at a branch while falling out of a tree. Which of the following statements is correct regarding this boy’s [...]