ScribeAmerica Medical Scribe Midterm Exam | Complete
Practice QUESTIONs, Correct Answers & Detailed Rationales
(2026/2027)
QUESTION 1 What is the primary role of a medical scribe in a clinical
practice or emergency department?
• A. To independently diagnose patients and write independent
prescriptions
• B. To perform real-time electronic health record (EHR)
documentation and assist providers with workflow under direct
supervision
• C. To manage hospital billing, coding, and insurance
reimbursement directly
• D. To triage arriving patients and independently obtain vital signs
Correct Answer: B. To perform real-time electronic health record (EHR)
documentation and assist providers with workflow under direct
supervision
Detailed Rationale: Scribes function as non-clinical assistants whose
primary role is documenting clinical encounters in real time to increase
provider efficiency.
QUESTION 2 What federal legislation governs the privacy, security, and
protection of Protected Health Information (PHI)?
• A. Emergency Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA)
• B. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)
, • C. Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA)
• D. Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)
Correct Answer: B. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act
(HIPAA)
Detailed Rationale: HIPAA sets national standards to protect sensitive
patient health data from unauthorized disclosure.
QUESTION 3 In a SOAP note, what type of information belongs in the
Subjective section?
• A. Objective physical exam findings and vital signs
• B. The provider's diagnosis and medical reasoning
• C. The patient's history, symptoms, Chief Complaint, and HPI in
their own words
• D. Medications prescribed and diagnostic tests ordered
Correct Answer: C. The patient's history, symptoms, Chief Complaint,
and HPI in their own words
Detailed Rationale: The Subjective section captures the history and
narrative reported directly by the patient or historian.
QUESTION 4 What does the acronym HPI stand for in medical
documentation?
• A. Health Plan Index
• B. History of Present Illness
• C. Hospital Procedure Indicator
• D. Hemodynamic Perfusion Index
,Correct Answer: B. History of Present Illness
Detailed Rationale: The HPI is a detailed chronological description of
the development of the patient's current illness from onset to the
present.
QUESTION 5 What does the medical suffix "-itis" signify when attached
to an anatomical root?
• A. Surgical removal
• B. Inflammation or infection of that structure
• C. Abnormal softening
• D. Tumor or malignant growth
Correct Answer: B. Inflammation or infection of that structure
Detailed Rationale: The suffix "-itis" denotes inflammation (e.g.,
appendicitis, bronchitis, arthritis).
QUESTION 6 What is the medical root term meaning kidney?
• A. Hepat/o
• B. Nephr/o (or Ren/o)
• C. Cardi/o
• D. Pulm/o
Correct Answer: B. Nephr/o (or Ren/o)
Detailed Rationale: "Nephr/o" and "ren/o" both refer to the kidneys.
"Hepat/o" refers to the liver.
QUESTION 7 What does the medical prefix "tachy-" mean?
, • A. Slow
• B. Fast or rapid
• C. Normal or regular
• D. Difficult or painful
Correct Answer: B. Fast or rapid
Detailed Rationale: "Tachy-" means rapid (e.g., tachycardia indicates a
fast heart rate). "Brady-" means slow.
QUESTION 8 What is the medical suffix that indicates abnormal
softening of a tissue or organ?
• A. -megaly
• B. -malacia
• C. -sclerosis
• D. -stenosis
Correct Answer: B. -malacia
Detailed Rationale: "-malacia" means softening (e.g., chondromalacia).
"-megaly" means enlargement, and "-stenosis" means narrowing.
QUESTION 9 What does the prescription abbreviation "qhs" mean?
• A. Every morning
• B. Every hour as needed
• C. Every night at bedtime
• D. Four times daily
Correct Answer: C. Every night at bedtime
Practice QUESTIONs, Correct Answers & Detailed Rationales
(2026/2027)
QUESTION 1 What is the primary role of a medical scribe in a clinical
practice or emergency department?
• A. To independently diagnose patients and write independent
prescriptions
• B. To perform real-time electronic health record (EHR)
documentation and assist providers with workflow under direct
supervision
• C. To manage hospital billing, coding, and insurance
reimbursement directly
• D. To triage arriving patients and independently obtain vital signs
Correct Answer: B. To perform real-time electronic health record (EHR)
documentation and assist providers with workflow under direct
supervision
Detailed Rationale: Scribes function as non-clinical assistants whose
primary role is documenting clinical encounters in real time to increase
provider efficiency.
QUESTION 2 What federal legislation governs the privacy, security, and
protection of Protected Health Information (PHI)?
• A. Emergency Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA)
• B. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)
, • C. Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA)
• D. Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)
Correct Answer: B. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act
(HIPAA)
Detailed Rationale: HIPAA sets national standards to protect sensitive
patient health data from unauthorized disclosure.
QUESTION 3 In a SOAP note, what type of information belongs in the
Subjective section?
• A. Objective physical exam findings and vital signs
• B. The provider's diagnosis and medical reasoning
• C. The patient's history, symptoms, Chief Complaint, and HPI in
their own words
• D. Medications prescribed and diagnostic tests ordered
Correct Answer: C. The patient's history, symptoms, Chief Complaint,
and HPI in their own words
Detailed Rationale: The Subjective section captures the history and
narrative reported directly by the patient or historian.
QUESTION 4 What does the acronym HPI stand for in medical
documentation?
• A. Health Plan Index
• B. History of Present Illness
• C. Hospital Procedure Indicator
• D. Hemodynamic Perfusion Index
,Correct Answer: B. History of Present Illness
Detailed Rationale: The HPI is a detailed chronological description of
the development of the patient's current illness from onset to the
present.
QUESTION 5 What does the medical suffix "-itis" signify when attached
to an anatomical root?
• A. Surgical removal
• B. Inflammation or infection of that structure
• C. Abnormal softening
• D. Tumor or malignant growth
Correct Answer: B. Inflammation or infection of that structure
Detailed Rationale: The suffix "-itis" denotes inflammation (e.g.,
appendicitis, bronchitis, arthritis).
QUESTION 6 What is the medical root term meaning kidney?
• A. Hepat/o
• B. Nephr/o (or Ren/o)
• C. Cardi/o
• D. Pulm/o
Correct Answer: B. Nephr/o (or Ren/o)
Detailed Rationale: "Nephr/o" and "ren/o" both refer to the kidneys.
"Hepat/o" refers to the liver.
QUESTION 7 What does the medical prefix "tachy-" mean?
, • A. Slow
• B. Fast or rapid
• C. Normal or regular
• D. Difficult or painful
Correct Answer: B. Fast or rapid
Detailed Rationale: "Tachy-" means rapid (e.g., tachycardia indicates a
fast heart rate). "Brady-" means slow.
QUESTION 8 What is the medical suffix that indicates abnormal
softening of a tissue or organ?
• A. -megaly
• B. -malacia
• C. -sclerosis
• D. -stenosis
Correct Answer: B. -malacia
Detailed Rationale: "-malacia" means softening (e.g., chondromalacia).
"-megaly" means enlargement, and "-stenosis" means narrowing.
QUESTION 9 What does the prescription abbreviation "qhs" mean?
• A. Every morning
• B. Every hour as needed
• C. Every night at bedtime
• D. Four times daily
Correct Answer: C. Every night at bedtime
