Sample Questions

Question 1

You are the house officer clerking new admissions in the Acute Medical Unit (AMU). You see a 32-year old woman who presents with pleuritic chest pain and shortness of breath. Of note she tells you that she has recently returned from holiday in Australia. She is normally fit and well. Regular medication includes Microgynon. On examination chest is clear, sats 93% on air, heart rate 115bpm, tender right calf. What is the most likely diagnosis?

A. Asthma
B. Pneumonia
C. Pneumothorax
D. Pulmonary embolus
E. Viral myocarditis

Answer 1

D. Pulmonary embolus

Question 2

You are the house officer clerking new admissions in the Acute Medical Unit (AMU). You see a 26-year old man who presents with acute onset shortness of breath with pleuritic chest pain. He is normally fit and well with no past medical history of note. He smokes 10 per day. On examination you note that he is tall, apyrexial with sats of 92% on air. On auscultation you note reduced breath sounds on right side of chest with no wheeze. What is the most likely diagnosis?

 A. Spontaneous pneumothorax
 B. Asthma
 C. Diaphragmatic rupture
 D. Viral myocarditis
 E. Pneumonia

Answer 2

A. Spontaneous pneumothorax

Question 3

A 62 year old lady with newly diagnosed with metastatic colonic carcinoma presents to the emergency department with sudden onset shortness of breath. On further questioning she describes haemoptysis and pleuritic chest pain. ECG shows sinus tachycardia and her oxygen saturation on air recorded by the ambulance was 82%. What is the most likely diagnosis?

Answer 3

Pulmonary embolism

Question 4

A 72-year-old male presents with worsening shortness of breath, over the past 12 months. He was started on a diuretic by his GP 12 months ago, which helped at the time. On auscultation of his chest he has generally clear air entry bilaterally with a few scanty crackles but, reduced air entry at the bases. Percussion of his chest is dull at both bases. What is the most likely diagnosis?

Answer 4

Pleural effusion

Question 5

A 50-year-old obese male presents with daytime somnolence. He has also found that he is not able to concentrate during the day and has a headache in the mornings. He is a HGV driver and has had to stop work due to this. He is very concerned. What is his most likely diagnosis?

Answer 5

Obstructive sleep apnoea