Part I

Question 1

“A 26-year-old male _____ to the emergency department with a 1-hour history of vomiting and confusion.” Presents or is brought?

Answer 1

Is brought

Because the patient is having cognitive difficulties, he probably can’t transport himself to the emergency department.

Question 2

“A 33-year-old female _____ to the office with a 2-day history of low back pain.” Presents or is brought?

Answer 2

Presents

The patient is conscious and has a relatively minor complaint, so she can probably get herself to the site of care.

Question 3

“A 12-year-old female _____ to the office with the complaints of hoarseness, cough, and runny nose.” Presents or is brought?

Answer 3

Is brought

The patient is a minor, so she would probably be brought to the office by a parent or guardian.

Question 4

Preferred phrasing for “regular physical exam”

Answer 4

health maintenance examination

Question 5

Which should be listed first, the patient’s temperature or their body mass index?

Answer 5

Body mass index
Growth parameters (such as BMI) are listed before vital signs (such as temperature.)

Question 6

Preferred phrasing for “neurological examination”

Answer 6

neurologic examination

Question 7

Preferred phrasing for “head, ears, eyes, nose, throat examination”

Answer 7

HEENT examination

Question 8

Preferred phrasing for “heart auscultation”

Answer 8

cardiac auscultation

Question 9

According to style guide, how should the reason for presentation in the following sentence be phrased?
“An 18-year-old female presents to the office with a headache.”

A. “An 18-year-old female presents to the office with the complaint of a headache.”
B. “An 18-year-old female presents to the office for evaluation of the complaint of a headache.”
C. “An 18-year-old female presents to the office complaining of a headache.”
D. “An 18-year-old female presents to the office because she has a headache.”

Answer 9

A. “An 18-year-old female presents to the office with the complaint of a headache.”

Question 10

Preferred phrasing for “nursing home”

Answer 10

extended care facility

Question 11

Preferred phrasing for “clinic in a hospital”

Answer 11

the office

Question 12

Preferred phrasing for “university health clinic”

Answer 12

student health center

Question 13

Preferred phrasing for “military base clinic”

Answer 13

military base clinic
(Sometimes it makes sense for a patient to present to a less common site of care - e.g. a service member who has just returned from survival training. In these cases, it’s OK for authors to use a site of care that’s not on the official list.)

Question 14

Preferred phrasing for “obstetrics examination”

Answer 14

prenatal examination

Question 15

Which of the following would be part of a patient’s social history?

A. father died of a heart attack at age 52
B. 16 pack-year history of cigarette smoking
C. appendectomy at age 8
D. patient is Hispanic

Answer 15

B. 16 pack-year history of cigarette smoking

Question 16

Which of the following could be included in a patient’s past medical history?

A. runny nose
B. mother has type 2 diabetes mellitus
C. drinks 5 to 6 beers every weekend
D. hypertension

Answer 16

D. hypertension

Question 17

Which blood pressure is correctly formatted?

A. 120/80 mm/hg
B. 120/80 mm HG
C. 120/80 mmHg
D. 120/80 Mm/Hg

Answer 17

C. 120/80 mmHg

Question 18

Preferred term for “pulse oximetry”

Answer 18

oxygen saturation

Question 19

Select the temperature that is formatted correctly.

A. 37.7°C (99.9°F)
B. 37.7°C (100°F)
C. 100°F (37.7°C)
D. 99.9°F (37.7°C)

Answer 19

A. 37.7°C (99.9°F)

Celsius goes before Fahrenheit. Include a tenths place for both.

Question 20

Which of the following adult laboratory values for calcium (reference range: 8.6-10.2 mg/dL) is formatted correctly?

A. 10 mg/dL
B. 0.095 g/L
C. 9.50 mg/dL
D. 9.5 mg/dL

Answer 20

D. 9.5 mg/dL

Patient lab values should have the same number of decimal places as the values in the reference range, and use the same units.

Question 21

Select the correct format:

A. (reference range < 200 mg/dL)
B. (reference range: < 200 mg/dL)
C. (reference range = 200 mg/dL)
D. (reference range of 200 mg/dL)

Answer 21

A. (reference range < 200 mg/dL)

Question 22

Choose the correct wording:

A. Laboratory study findings are normal.
B. Laboratory study results are normal.
C. Laboratory tests reveal normal results.
D. Laboratory studies are normal.

Answer 22

B. Laboratory study results are normal.

When reporting laboratory values, we use “results” rather than “findings” and “study” rather than “test.”

Question 23

When you refer to a video exhibit within an item, what should you specify?

A. The length of the video
B. Whether audio is included
C. Who owns the copyright to the video
D. Whether the video contains graphic content

Answer 23

B. Whether audio is included

Question 24

Preferred phrasing for “LGBT clinic”

Answer 24

LGBTQ health center

Question 25

Preferred phrasing for “acute care clinic”

Answer 25

urgent care center

Question 26

Preferred phrasing for “sports physical”

Answer 26

preparticipation examination for [sport] (e.g. high school football), or preparticipation sports physical examination

Question 27

Correct the following: “…with the complaint of a temperature for the past 3 days.”

Answer 27

“…with the complaint of a fever for the past 3 days.”

“Fever” should be used instead of “temperature” as a complaint. Use “temperature” when reporting a specific temperature - for example, a temperature of 40.0°C (104.0°F).

Question 28

Preferred phrasing for “lung examination”

Answer 28

lung asucultation, auscultation of the lungs

Question 29

Preferred phrasing for “osteopathic examination” or “palpatory examination”

Answer 29

structural examination

Question 30

Preferred phrasing for “osteopathic examination” or “palpatory examination”

Answer 30

structural examination
(In most cases, however, this can be replaced by "physical examination.")

Question 31

In an item that specify’s the patient’s serum glucose level, when might you provide the random/finger stick reference range?

A. When the patient is an infant or a very young child
B. When it is the only laboratory test being done
C. When the patient is brought to the emergency department
D. When the patient’s diet is high in carbohydrates

Answer 31

C. When the patient is brought to the emergency department

In an emergency situation where the patient’s lab values are needed as soon as possible, there isn’t time to have the patient fast before their glucose test.

Question 32

Preferred term for “emergency room”

Answer 32

emergency department

Question 33

Revise the following: “A 72-year-old female presents to her primary care physician with a 2-week history of abdominal pain.”

Answer 33

“A 72-year-old female presents to the office with a 2-week history of abdominal pain.”

In most cases, a specific type of doctor’s office should be replaced with “the office.”

Question 34

Preferred term for “well-baby exam”

Answer 34

health maintenance examination