NCCAOM BIOMEDICINE BOARD EXAM:
300 PRACTICE QUESTIONS WITH
RATIONALES
QUESTION 1
A 58-year-old male presents to the emergency department with acute onset of
excruciating substernal pain radiating to the left arm. He has a 40-year history
of cigarette smoking and was diagnosed with hypertension 20 years ago.
Immediate ECG shows ST segment elevation and T wave inversion. What is the
most likely medical diagnosis?
A) Aortic aneurysm
B) Pulmonary embolism
C) Acute myocardial infarction
D) Pericarditis
**Correct Answer: C) Acute myocardial infarction**
**Rationale:** ST segment elevation with T wave inversion on ECG, substernal
chest pain radiating to the left arm, along with risk factors of smoking and
hypertension, are classic findings of acute myocardial infarction. ST elevation
indicates transmural ischemia requiring immediate intervention .
,---
## QUESTION 2
A 29-year-old patient complains of hypochondriac pain and fullness for
several months. Laboratory tests reveal elevated ALT and AST levels. Which
condition should be suspected?
A) Gastritis
B) Hepatitis
C) Pancreatitis
D) Cholecystitis
**Correct Answer: B) Hepatitis**
**Rationale:** Elevated liver enzymes (ALT and AST) with hypochondriac
(right upper quadrant) pain and fullness are characteristic of hepatitis. The
hepatic panel includes AST and ALT, which are markers of hepatocellular
injury .
---
## QUESTION 3
Which of the following is the effect of parasympathetic stimulation?
,A) Bronchodilation
B) Pupil constriction
C) Decreased GI activities
D) Secretion of epinephrine
**Correct Answer: B) Pupil constriction**
**Rationale:** Parasympathetic stimulation causes pupillary constriction
(miosis) via the oculomotor nerve (CN III). It also increases GI motility, causes
bronchoconstriction, and does not stimulate epinephrine secretion. The
sympathetic system is responsible for bronchodilation and epinephrine
release .
---
## QUESTION 4
Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) is used for determining:
A) Bone mineral content
B) Metabolic activity of the liver
C) Radiographic density of the lung
D) Absorption of the small intestine
, **Correct Answer: A) Bone mineral content**
**Rationale:** DEXA scanning is the gold standard for measuring bone mineral
density (BMD) and is used to diagnose osteoporosis and assess fracture risk. It
is a routine health screening tool, particularly for postmenopausal women and
those with risk factors for bone loss .
---
## QUESTION 5
Syphilis is caused by which type of pathogen?
A) Virus
B) Fungus
C) Parasite
D) Bacterium
**Correct Answer: D) Bacterium**
**Rationale:** Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infection caused by the
bacterium *Treponema pallidum*. It is a spirochete that can be treated with
antibiotics such as penicillin. Unlike viral STIs, bacterial infections are
typically curable with appropriate antimicrobial therapy .
---
300 PRACTICE QUESTIONS WITH
RATIONALES
QUESTION 1
A 58-year-old male presents to the emergency department with acute onset of
excruciating substernal pain radiating to the left arm. He has a 40-year history
of cigarette smoking and was diagnosed with hypertension 20 years ago.
Immediate ECG shows ST segment elevation and T wave inversion. What is the
most likely medical diagnosis?
A) Aortic aneurysm
B) Pulmonary embolism
C) Acute myocardial infarction
D) Pericarditis
**Correct Answer: C) Acute myocardial infarction**
**Rationale:** ST segment elevation with T wave inversion on ECG, substernal
chest pain radiating to the left arm, along with risk factors of smoking and
hypertension, are classic findings of acute myocardial infarction. ST elevation
indicates transmural ischemia requiring immediate intervention .
,---
## QUESTION 2
A 29-year-old patient complains of hypochondriac pain and fullness for
several months. Laboratory tests reveal elevated ALT and AST levels. Which
condition should be suspected?
A) Gastritis
B) Hepatitis
C) Pancreatitis
D) Cholecystitis
**Correct Answer: B) Hepatitis**
**Rationale:** Elevated liver enzymes (ALT and AST) with hypochondriac
(right upper quadrant) pain and fullness are characteristic of hepatitis. The
hepatic panel includes AST and ALT, which are markers of hepatocellular
injury .
---
## QUESTION 3
Which of the following is the effect of parasympathetic stimulation?
,A) Bronchodilation
B) Pupil constriction
C) Decreased GI activities
D) Secretion of epinephrine
**Correct Answer: B) Pupil constriction**
**Rationale:** Parasympathetic stimulation causes pupillary constriction
(miosis) via the oculomotor nerve (CN III). It also increases GI motility, causes
bronchoconstriction, and does not stimulate epinephrine secretion. The
sympathetic system is responsible for bronchodilation and epinephrine
release .
---
## QUESTION 4
Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) is used for determining:
A) Bone mineral content
B) Metabolic activity of the liver
C) Radiographic density of the lung
D) Absorption of the small intestine
, **Correct Answer: A) Bone mineral content**
**Rationale:** DEXA scanning is the gold standard for measuring bone mineral
density (BMD) and is used to diagnose osteoporosis and assess fracture risk. It
is a routine health screening tool, particularly for postmenopausal women and
those with risk factors for bone loss .
---
## QUESTION 5
Syphilis is caused by which type of pathogen?
A) Virus
B) Fungus
C) Parasite
D) Bacterium
**Correct Answer: D) Bacterium**
**Rationale:** Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infection caused by the
bacterium *Treponema pallidum*. It is a spirochete that can be treated with
antibiotics such as penicillin. Unlike viral STIs, bacterial infections are
typically curable with appropriate antimicrobial therapy .
---
