Final MB Medicine: Student Exam Guide
What to expect, how to prepare, exam-day checklists, and specimen practice questions compiled directly from the Revision 3 lecture.
The Lecturer's Core Message
The examination tests what a first-line doctor should know and handle. If you participated actively in ward rounds, outpatient clinics, and case reviews, you already possess the clinical foundation required to pass. Keep your cool and apply what you know.
The Medicine Examination at a Glance
| Part / Component | What to Expect |
|---|---|
| MCQ Paper | 100 questions, single best answer from four options, completed within 1.5 hours. |
| Pictures & Data | Clinical photographs, ECG rhythm strips, chest X-rays, and laboratory panels; capped at 1 hour. |
| Written Paper (SAQ) | 10 clinical scenario questions administered in the afternoon of the written day. |
| Oral / Clinical Station | Whole-day manned stations (mirroring OBGYN and Paediatrics), standardized question banks, ~10 questions max per station. |
Exam-Day Checklist & Conduct Rules
What to Bring to the Hall
- Blue or black ballpoint pens (biro)
- Stethoscope with diaphragm and bell
- Patella tendon hammer
- Official Student Identity Card
- Clinical pen-torch, measuring tape, and basic diagnostic tools
- Your clear clinical mind: Read, reflect, then commit your answer.
What to Strictly Leave at Home
- Mobile phones (switched on OR switched off)
- Smart watches and digital storage devices
- Any piece of paper, jotter, revision note, or scrap sheet
- Automatic Malpractice: Anyone found with a phone or notes in the exam or quarantine room faces immediate exam termination.
Six Key Tips from the Lecturer
1. Read Every Stem Detail
Where a diagnosis is requested, the scenario contains all clues required. Do not skip age, occupational, or travel history.
2. Answer Exactly What Is Asked
When asked to identify an affected side or site, declare it explicitly first before describing the lesion.
3. Align Differentials with Treatment
State the most-likely diagnosis and differentials as separate, clear entries. Keep your proposed pharmacotherapy consistent.
4. Report Software Display Glitches
If an ECG or X-ray displays poorly or crops on your computer monitor, call the invigilator immediately. Never guess.
5. Do Not Rely on Recycled Questions
Questions are formulated afresh for your level. Any overlap with past papers is purely coincidental.
6. Cover Foundational Medicine (M1 to M3)
Do not confine revision solely to final-year subspecialties; core foundational internal medicine will be examined.
Specimen Practice Questions from the Session
| Clinical Prompt | Expected Clinical Answer |
|---|---|
| Patient on prednisolone for 6 months: describe facial appearance | Moon face (Cushingoid facies) |
| Name two differentials and three other physical signs | Differentials: Iatrogenic Cushing syndrome, Hypothyroidism. Signs: Buffalo hump, abdominal striae, cutaneous thinning. |
| ECG rhythm in 67-year-old | Normal Sinus Rhythm (regular P waves before QRS) |
| White mouth plaques in woman whose spouse died of chronic wasting illness: diagnosis & first-line drug | Diagnosis: Oral candidiasis (thrush) in retroviral disease. First-line Drug: Topical Nystatin suspension. |
| Chest X-ray: side, abnormalities, and diagnosis | Side: Right hemithorax. Abnormalities: Hyperlucency and absent bronchovascular markings. Diagnosis: Pneumothorax. |
Scoring Perspective & Final Checklist
The lecturer reassured candidates that out of 100 questions, at most 5 questions will appear unusually challenging. The remaining 95 questions are rooted in standard undergraduate clinical medicine—more than enough to clear the 50% pass boundary with high distinction.