MCCQE1 exam Medical Council of Canada
Qualifying Examination Part I Questions And
Correct Answers| Updated
An 80-year-old woman comes to the urgent care clinic with dyspnoea on exertion. On physical
examination, her blood pressure is 100/70, and her pulse is 75. She has no pulsus paradoxus.
Her jugular veins are distended, and she has distant heart sounds. In addition, she has extra
third and fourth heart sounds. Her liver is enlarged, and she has pedal oedema. She has
occasional premature ventricular contractions on her electrocardiogram. A chest x-ray reveals
clear lung fields with a dilated cardiac silhouette. Her echocardiogram reveals ventricular
walls with a "speckled pattern". Which of the following is the most likely diagnosis?
- Alcoholic cardiomyopathy
- Amyloidosis
- Haemochromatosis
- Tuberculosis
- Viral myocarditis
Amyloidosis
Restrictive cardiomyopathy with 'speckled' left ventricular wall
Primary cardiac amyloidosis usually develops into diastolic dysfunction
Alcoholic cardiomyopathy: biventricular dilated cardiomyopathy
A 92-year-old man with a 45-year history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is
intubated in the ICU because of a bout of viral pneumonia that fails to improve after 72 hours
of antibiotics. Although the inspired fraction of oxygen is 100%, the patient's pO2 remains at
57 mmHg. Positive-end expiratory pressure (PEEP) is added to allow the inspired fraction of
oxygen. Twelve hours after the introduction of PEEP the patient suddenly become
hypotensive. At the same time, his oxygen saturation drops from 92% to 61%. On physical
,examination, his BP is 80/50 mmHg and his pulse is 124/min. He has distended neck veins and
distant heart sounds. Which of the following would also most likely be seen on this patient's
physical examination?
- Absence of breath sounds in the right hemithorax
- High amplitude carotid artery upstroke
- A pleural friction rub
- Pulsus alternans
- Splenomegaly
Absence of breath sounds in the right hemithorax
Patient has developed a tension pneumothorax, characterized by PEEP followed by sudden
hypotension and decreased oxygenation
Jugular venous distention occurs because venous return to the right side of the heart is being
compressed
Rx: immediate needle/tube thoracostomy
A 46-year-old man with a history of hypertension and hypercholesterolemia visits the
physician for a routine follow-up. The patient's job involves a lot of travelling, and he admits
to occasionally forgetting to take his medications with him when he travels. He complains of
several episodes of chest pain in the past few months. The pain is sharp in nature, mainly over
his lower chest and epigastrium, and tends to come on when walking. He believes these
episodes are due to indigestion and has been taking antacids. There is a family history of
heart disease, and his father died of a heart attack at age 48. On physical examination, his
blood pressure is 150/80 mmHg and heart rate is 86/min. His lungs are clear to auscultation.
Cardiac auscultation reveals normal rate and rhythm, without rubs, gallops, or murmurs.
There is no pedal oedema. He is sent for an exercise stress test. Five minutes into the test, he
develops ST
Coronary angiography
Multiple risk factors for atherosclerotic coronary artery disease
A stress test is considered positive when there are ST depression of >1mm for longer than 0.08
seconds
,Positive stress test = coronary angiography
A 74-year-old woman, who has been followed for the past 25 years for chronic obstructive
pulmonary disease comes to the ED complaining of 48 hours of temperature to 38.6 C and
worsening shortness of breath. She has a chronic productive cough, which has become more
copious. On physical examination, she has rhonchi and increased fremitus in the posterior
mid-lung field. A Gram's stain reveals many epithelial cells and multiple gram-positive and
gram-negative organisms; no neutrophils are seen. Which of the following is the most likely
organism causing the symptoms?
- Escherichia coli
- Haemophilus influenzae
- Klebsiella pneumoniae
- Mycobacterium tuberculosis
- Mycoplasma pneumoniae
Haemophilus influenzae
Evidence of community-acquired pneumonia and common organisms in patients with COPD are
Strep. pneumoniae, Haem. influenzae and Moraxella catarrhalis.
Klebsiella pneumonia is typically found in alcoholic patients.
Primary E. coli pneumonia is rare and there is no history of infection elsewhere (e.g. UTI).
Mycoplasma pneumoniae does not present with a lobar consolidation and generally occurs in
younger patients - x-ray reveals faint bilateral interstitial infiltrates.
A 62-year-old man is being treated for an acute myocardial infarction. He originally came to
the ED with substernal chest pain and diaphoresis. Given his risk factors of hypertension,
diabetes, tobacco use, and family history, he is considered high risk. An ECG in the ED reveals
a left-bundle branch pattern, and cardiac enzymes are elevated slightly. After a focused
evaluation in the ED, the patient receives IV thrombolytics. Although his bundle branch
pattern never resolves, the patient is chest pain-free and haemodynamically stable after
, thrombolysis. Two days later, however, the patient reports episodes of recurrent chest
discomfort and shortness of breath overnight. In evaluating for potential myocardial
reinfarction, which of the following is the most appropriate diagnostic test?
- Creatinine kinase
- Dynamic ECG changes
- Lactate dehydrogenase
- Myoglobin levels
- Troponin I level
Creatinine kinase
CK, total levels and specific MB fraction, are elevated as early as 3 hours after onset of chest
pain and have a duration of no more than 2 days, peaking within 18-24 hours
Myoglobin is the first enzyme elevated and lasts no more than 1 day, but is nonspecific to AMI
Troponin levels increase in 3-12 hours, peak in approximately 1 day, and gradually taper over
the next 10 days
A 41-year-old man comes to the clinic complaining of a chronic cough over the past 4 months,
which has now been accompanied by haemoptysis. He denies smoking or any past medical
history. On physical examination, his head and neck examination is normal. His lungs have
diffuse bilateral rales. Cardiac examination is normal. Laboratory findings reveal Na 142
mEq/L, K 4.2 mEq/L, Cl 110 mEq/L, HCO3 24 mEq/L, BUN (blood urea nitrogen) 39 mg/dL,
creatinine 2.9 mg/dL. Urinalysis reveals microscopic haematuria and 4+ proteinuria. Which of
the following serologic blood tests would most help confirm the suspected diagnosis?
- Anti-glomerular basement membrane antibodies
- Anti-mitochondrial antibodies
- Anti-neutrophilic antibodies
- Anti-parietal cell antibodies
- Anti-smooth muscle antibodies
Anti-glomerular basement membrane antibodies
Qualifying Examination Part I Questions And
Correct Answers| Updated
An 80-year-old woman comes to the urgent care clinic with dyspnoea on exertion. On physical
examination, her blood pressure is 100/70, and her pulse is 75. She has no pulsus paradoxus.
Her jugular veins are distended, and she has distant heart sounds. In addition, she has extra
third and fourth heart sounds. Her liver is enlarged, and she has pedal oedema. She has
occasional premature ventricular contractions on her electrocardiogram. A chest x-ray reveals
clear lung fields with a dilated cardiac silhouette. Her echocardiogram reveals ventricular
walls with a "speckled pattern". Which of the following is the most likely diagnosis?
- Alcoholic cardiomyopathy
- Amyloidosis
- Haemochromatosis
- Tuberculosis
- Viral myocarditis
Amyloidosis
Restrictive cardiomyopathy with 'speckled' left ventricular wall
Primary cardiac amyloidosis usually develops into diastolic dysfunction
Alcoholic cardiomyopathy: biventricular dilated cardiomyopathy
A 92-year-old man with a 45-year history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is
intubated in the ICU because of a bout of viral pneumonia that fails to improve after 72 hours
of antibiotics. Although the inspired fraction of oxygen is 100%, the patient's pO2 remains at
57 mmHg. Positive-end expiratory pressure (PEEP) is added to allow the inspired fraction of
oxygen. Twelve hours after the introduction of PEEP the patient suddenly become
hypotensive. At the same time, his oxygen saturation drops from 92% to 61%. On physical
,examination, his BP is 80/50 mmHg and his pulse is 124/min. He has distended neck veins and
distant heart sounds. Which of the following would also most likely be seen on this patient's
physical examination?
- Absence of breath sounds in the right hemithorax
- High amplitude carotid artery upstroke
- A pleural friction rub
- Pulsus alternans
- Splenomegaly
Absence of breath sounds in the right hemithorax
Patient has developed a tension pneumothorax, characterized by PEEP followed by sudden
hypotension and decreased oxygenation
Jugular venous distention occurs because venous return to the right side of the heart is being
compressed
Rx: immediate needle/tube thoracostomy
A 46-year-old man with a history of hypertension and hypercholesterolemia visits the
physician for a routine follow-up. The patient's job involves a lot of travelling, and he admits
to occasionally forgetting to take his medications with him when he travels. He complains of
several episodes of chest pain in the past few months. The pain is sharp in nature, mainly over
his lower chest and epigastrium, and tends to come on when walking. He believes these
episodes are due to indigestion and has been taking antacids. There is a family history of
heart disease, and his father died of a heart attack at age 48. On physical examination, his
blood pressure is 150/80 mmHg and heart rate is 86/min. His lungs are clear to auscultation.
Cardiac auscultation reveals normal rate and rhythm, without rubs, gallops, or murmurs.
There is no pedal oedema. He is sent for an exercise stress test. Five minutes into the test, he
develops ST
Coronary angiography
Multiple risk factors for atherosclerotic coronary artery disease
A stress test is considered positive when there are ST depression of >1mm for longer than 0.08
seconds
,Positive stress test = coronary angiography
A 74-year-old woman, who has been followed for the past 25 years for chronic obstructive
pulmonary disease comes to the ED complaining of 48 hours of temperature to 38.6 C and
worsening shortness of breath. She has a chronic productive cough, which has become more
copious. On physical examination, she has rhonchi and increased fremitus in the posterior
mid-lung field. A Gram's stain reveals many epithelial cells and multiple gram-positive and
gram-negative organisms; no neutrophils are seen. Which of the following is the most likely
organism causing the symptoms?
- Escherichia coli
- Haemophilus influenzae
- Klebsiella pneumoniae
- Mycobacterium tuberculosis
- Mycoplasma pneumoniae
Haemophilus influenzae
Evidence of community-acquired pneumonia and common organisms in patients with COPD are
Strep. pneumoniae, Haem. influenzae and Moraxella catarrhalis.
Klebsiella pneumonia is typically found in alcoholic patients.
Primary E. coli pneumonia is rare and there is no history of infection elsewhere (e.g. UTI).
Mycoplasma pneumoniae does not present with a lobar consolidation and generally occurs in
younger patients - x-ray reveals faint bilateral interstitial infiltrates.
A 62-year-old man is being treated for an acute myocardial infarction. He originally came to
the ED with substernal chest pain and diaphoresis. Given his risk factors of hypertension,
diabetes, tobacco use, and family history, he is considered high risk. An ECG in the ED reveals
a left-bundle branch pattern, and cardiac enzymes are elevated slightly. After a focused
evaluation in the ED, the patient receives IV thrombolytics. Although his bundle branch
pattern never resolves, the patient is chest pain-free and haemodynamically stable after
, thrombolysis. Two days later, however, the patient reports episodes of recurrent chest
discomfort and shortness of breath overnight. In evaluating for potential myocardial
reinfarction, which of the following is the most appropriate diagnostic test?
- Creatinine kinase
- Dynamic ECG changes
- Lactate dehydrogenase
- Myoglobin levels
- Troponin I level
Creatinine kinase
CK, total levels and specific MB fraction, are elevated as early as 3 hours after onset of chest
pain and have a duration of no more than 2 days, peaking within 18-24 hours
Myoglobin is the first enzyme elevated and lasts no more than 1 day, but is nonspecific to AMI
Troponin levels increase in 3-12 hours, peak in approximately 1 day, and gradually taper over
the next 10 days
A 41-year-old man comes to the clinic complaining of a chronic cough over the past 4 months,
which has now been accompanied by haemoptysis. He denies smoking or any past medical
history. On physical examination, his head and neck examination is normal. His lungs have
diffuse bilateral rales. Cardiac examination is normal. Laboratory findings reveal Na 142
mEq/L, K 4.2 mEq/L, Cl 110 mEq/L, HCO3 24 mEq/L, BUN (blood urea nitrogen) 39 mg/dL,
creatinine 2.9 mg/dL. Urinalysis reveals microscopic haematuria and 4+ proteinuria. Which of
the following serologic blood tests would most help confirm the suspected diagnosis?
- Anti-glomerular basement membrane antibodies
- Anti-mitochondrial antibodies
- Anti-neutrophilic antibodies
- Anti-parietal cell antibodies
- Anti-smooth muscle antibodies
Anti-glomerular basement membrane antibodies
