Verified Questions, Answers & Rationales |
2026/2027 Latest Update | Graded A+
,Exam 1
1. The primary purpose of a comprehensive health history is to:
A. Establish a diagnosis without testing
B. Replace the physical exam
C. Gather subjective data to guide care
D. Determine insurance coverage
C. Gather subjective data to guide care
Rationale: The history provides subjective data that directs the physical exam and clinical
decisions.
2. Which is the most important component of the health history?
A. Review of systems
B. Past medical history
C. Chief complaint and HPI
D. Family history
C. Chief complaint and HPI
Rationale: These identify the reason for the visit and contextualize all other data.
3. An open-ended question is best for:
A. Yes/no answers
B. Limiting detail
C. Encouraging full description
D. Speeding the interview
C. Encouraging full description
Rationale: Open-ended questions allow patients to explain in their own words.
,4. Which is a closed-ended question?
A. "Tell me about your pain."
B. "How has this affected your life?"
C. "When did the pain start?"
D. "What worries you most?"
C. "When did the pain start?"
Rationale: It requests a specific fact and limits narrative response.
5. Active listening includes:
A. Interrupting to clarify
B. Focusing only on chief complaint
C. Connecting to patient emotions
D. Writing continuously
C. Connecting to patient emotions
Rationale: Active listening attends to verbal and nonverbal cues and emotions.
6. The review of systems is:
A. Patient's past illnesses
B. A head-to-toe symptom review
C. Family genetic risks
D. Social habits only
B. A head-to-toe symptom review
Rationale: ROS systematically asks about symptoms by body system.
7. Past medical history includes:
A. Chief complaint
B. Childhood illnesses and surgeries
C. Current review of symptoms
D. Family deaths
B. Childhood illnesses and surgeries
Rationale: PMH includes prior illnesses, surgeries, hospitalizations, and immunizations.
, 8. Social history includes:
A. Tobacco, alcohol, drugs, occupation
B. Cranial nerve function
C. Heart sounds
D. Reflexes
A. Tobacco, alcohol, drugs, occupation
Rationale: Social history addresses lifestyle, exposures, and psychosocial factors.
9. Which patient is most likely to require a modified interview?
A. 30-year-old with headache
B. 72-year-old with dementia
C. 45-year-old with chest pain
D. 19-year-old with sprain
B. 72-year-old with dementia
Rationale: Cognitive impairment may require collateral information and simplified
questions.
10. The best response to an angry patient is:
A. "Calm down."
B. "Why are you angry?"
C. "I can see this is frustrating. Tell me more."
D. "You should not feel that way."
C. "I can see this is frustrating. Tell me more."
Rationale: Empathic validation acknowledges emotion and invites explanation.
11. Which is a symptom?
A. Blood pressure 150/90
B. Headache
C. Rash observed on arm
D. Heart murmur