4-Year MD Program | Diagnostic Examination Topics
DMU, College of Medicine – 4 year MD Program Diagnostic Examination is a multiple-choice assessment designed to evaluate applicants’ understanding of fundamental biomedical and clinical concepts. These topics are assessed as essential prerequisites to study medicine.
Total Duration: 4 Hours
Exam 1: Biomedical Foundations
| Section No. | Subject | Number of Questions |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Human Biology | 10 |
| 2 | Anatomy | 25 |
| 3 | Physiology | 25 |
| 4 | Cell & Molecular Biology | 10 |
| 5 | Genetics | 10 |
| 6 | Immunology | 10 |
| 7 | Histology | 10 |
| Total | 100 |
Exam 2: Clinical & Analytical Foundations
| Section No. | Subject | Number of Questions |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Biochemistry | 20 |
| 2 | Pharmacology | 20 |
| 3 | Pathology | 20 |
| 4 | Microbiology | 10 |
| 5 | Biostatistics | 10 |
| 6 | Research Methodology | 10 |
| 7 | Public Health & Health Promotion | 10 |
| Total | 100 |
Exam 1: Biomedical Foundations
1. Human Biology
- Levels of biological organization (cell → tissue → organ → system)
- Homeostasis and feedback mechanisms
- Basic metabolism and energy balance
- Adaptation to stress (fasting, exercise, aging)
- Growth, development, and apoptosis
- Structure–function relationships
2. Anatomy
- General anatomical terminology and planes
- Major organ systems:
- Cardiovascular
- Respiratory
- Gastrointestinal
- Urinary
- Nervous (central and peripheral overview)
- Musculoskeletal
- Basic neuroanatomy (brain regions, spinal cord)
- Surface anatomy and clinical correlations
- Blood supply, venous drainage, and lymphatics (overview)
3. Physiology
- Cell membrane, Transport across Membranes
- Total Body Water & Body fluids
- Nerve, Resting Membrane Potential and Action Potential
- Neuromuscular Transmission, Thermoregulation
- Muscle, Types, Excitation contraction coupling
- Autonomic Nervous System
- Introduction to Blood Components
- Bone mineral Calcium Homeostasis
- Introduction to major Human Body Systems (Cardiovascular, Respiratory, Renal, Gastrointestinal, Endocrine)
- Integration of systems in maintaining Homeostasis
4. Cell & Molecular Biology
- Cell structure and organelles
- Cell cycle, mitosis, and meiosis
- DNA replication, transcription, and translation
- Protein synthesis and post-translational modification
- Signal transduction pathways
- Cell–cell communication
- Stem cells and differentiation
5. Genetics
- Mendelian inheritance patterns
- Chromosomal abnormalities
- Gene mutations and polymorphisms
- Basics of epigenetics
- Genetic regulation of development
- Introduction to genetic testing and counseling
- Ethical considerations in genetics
6. Immunology
- Innate vs adaptive immunity
- Cells of the immune system
- Antigen presentation and MHC
- Humoral and cell-mediated immunity
- Hypersensitivity reactions
- Autoimmunity (basic concepts)
- Vaccination principles
7. Histology
- Epithelial tissues
- Connective tissues
- Muscle tissue
- Nervous tissue
- Basic histology of major organs (heart, lung, kidney, liver, intestine)
- Structure–function correlations
Exam 2: Clinical & Analytical Foundations
1. Biochemistry
- Carbohydrates chemistry
- Lipid Chemistry
- Amino acids and Protein Chemistry
- Plasma proteins
- Fibrous proteins
- Hemoglobin
- Enzymes
- Bioenergetics and electron transport chain
- Vitamins
- Minerals
- Acids, bases and buffer systems in humans
- Signal Transduction
- Digestion of carbohydrates
- Glycolysis under aerobic and anaerobic conditions
- Cori cycle, Oxidative decarboxylation of pyruvate and acetyl-CoA
- Citric acid cycle reactions and energetics
- Gluconeogenesis
- Hexose monophosphate pathway: reactions and significance
- Glycogen Synthesis and Degradation
- Biochemical Basis of Diabetes Mellitus
- Digestion of lipids
- Fatty Acid Synthesis
- Oxidation of Fatty Acids
- Triacylglycerol metabolism
- Lipoproteins, Cholesterol
- Synthesis and breakdown of Ketone bodies, ketosis
- Eicosanoids
- Protein digestion, amino acid pool, and Glutamyl Cycle
- Trans deamination
- Metabolism of free ammonia
2. Pharmacology
- Principles of pharmacokinetics (ADME)
- Pharmacodynamics (receptors, agonists, antagonists)
- Dose–response relationships
- Drug safety and adverse effects
- Drug interactions
- Basic drug classes (overview only)
3. Pathology
- Cellular injury and adaptation
- Inflammation and healing
- Neoplasia (basic concepts)
- Hemodynamic disorders (edema, thrombosis)
- Infection and immunity-related pathology
- General mechanisms of disease
4. Microbiology
- Bacterial structure and classification
- Viruses: structure and replication
- Fungi and parasites (overview)
- Host–pathogen interactions
- Sterilization and infection control
- Antimicrobial resistance (concepts)
5. Biostatistics
- Types of data
- Measures of central tendency and dispersion
- Probability and distributions
- Sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV
- Interpretation of graphs and tables
- Basic hypothesis testing (conceptual)
6. Research Methodology
- Types of research studies
- Bias and confounding
- Ethics in research
- Evidence-based medicine principles
- Critical appraisal of research
- Interpretation of scientific literature
7. Public Health & Health Promotion
- Determinants of health
- Disease prevention levels
- Screening principles
- Epidemiology basics
- Health systems and policy (overview)
- Global health challenges
- Health promotion strategies
