Clinical Skills Exam Questions with
complete solutions
Which position would result in the highest blood pressure reading?
A) sitting
B) standing
C) supine
d) reverse trendelenburg - correct answer ✔✔ C) supine
Why is it important to approach the patient from the right side when the patient is in the supine
position?
A) jugular venous pressure is more reliable
B) palpating hand rests more comfortably on apical impulse
C) right kidney is easier palpable than the left
D) all of the above - correct answer ✔✔ D) all of the above
A 67 year old female with a history of atherosclerosis is at her primary care provider's office for
her annual physical exam. Her blood pressure is measured to be 160 mm Hg/96 mm Hg, but the
provider auscultates a period of silence between 140 mm Hg and 120 mm Hg. What is the term
used to describe the silent interval between the systolic and diastolic pressure?
A) atrial fibrillation
B) arrhythmia
C) auscultatory gap
D) Korotkoff silence - correct answer ✔✔ C) auscultatory gap
,A 37 year old male comes to the Emergency Department complaining of hematemesis and
abdominal pain. During the physical examination the PA notes signs of jaundice and caput
medusae. The provider decides to assess the patient for alcoholism using the CAGE
questionnaire. Which of the following terms are not included in the CAGE acronym?
A) cutting down
B) addictive tendencies
C) guilty feelings
D) eye openers - correct answer ✔✔ B) addictive tendencies
Unfortunately your patient who was sick with pancreatic cancer is passing away. As the patient's
provider you have to now relay this information to his/her family members. You try to go
through the five stages of grief with the family in hopes that it helps them try to cope with what
is to come. What are the five stages of grief as defined by Kubler-Ross?
A) Denial and isolation, anger, depression or sadness, bargaining, acceptance
B) Anger, denial and isolation, depression or sadness, bargaining, acceptance
C) Denial and isolation, anger, bargaining, depression or sadness, acceptance
D) Acceptance, anger, bargaining, depression or sadness, denial and isolation - correct answer
✔✔ C) Denial and isolation, anger, bargaining, depression or sadness, acceptance
Your 16 year old patient comes in for their annual exam, you notice she looks malnourished and
she has lost an abnormal amount of weight since her last visit. You proceed to ask questions
regarding her diet and exercise and she mentions that she is afraid to gain weight and says she
doesn't feel the need to eat. She also has concerns about her recent irregular periods. As her
primary care provider, you start to think she may be suffering from which of the following?
A) Bulimia nervosa
B) Anorexia nervosa
C) neither she is just a normal teenager
D) patient is maintaining a more active lifestyle - correct answer ✔✔ B) anorexia nervosa
, A 65 year old male comes into the clinic for his annual checkup. He seems anxious and nervous
as you are taking his blood pressure and mentions he has white coat hypertension. Which of the
following clinical signs do you expect to see when you take his blood pressure?
A) high systolic BP, low diastolic BP
B) high systolic BP, high diastolic BP
C) low systolic BP, low diastolic BP
D) low systolic BP, high diastolic BP - correct answer ✔✔ B) high systolic BP, high diastolic BP
A 35 year old male comes into the Emergency Department in apparent distress and is slurring
his words. Upon talking to a nurse, you find out that he frequents the hospital and has a known
history of alcohol abuse. In order to find out if he in fact does have an Alcohol Use Disorder
(AUD), you ask him a series of screening questions. Which of the following questions will you
NOT ask the patient during his screening?
A) Do you feel annoyed when you are criticized when you drink?
B) When was the first time you drank alcohol?
C) Have you ever felt the need to cut down on your drinking?
D) Have you ever felt the need to drink first thing in the morning when you open your eyes to
cure a hangover or steady your nerves? - correct answer ✔✔ B) When was the first time you
drank alcohol?
A 35 year old woman goes to her dermatologist due to a shiny and translucent papule on her
face. She noticed that it has slowly been growing over the past 3 months. After taking a biopsy
of the area, it is found to be cancerous. What is the diagnosis
A) basal cell carcinoma
B) squamous cell carcinoma
C) vitiligo
D) malignant melanoma - correct answer ✔✔ A) basal cell carcinoma
A 70 year old bedridden male complains of pain on his lower back and buttocks. Upon
examination, his caretaker sees that he has begun to develop a reddened area on his sacrum
complete solutions
Which position would result in the highest blood pressure reading?
A) sitting
B) standing
C) supine
d) reverse trendelenburg - correct answer ✔✔ C) supine
Why is it important to approach the patient from the right side when the patient is in the supine
position?
A) jugular venous pressure is more reliable
B) palpating hand rests more comfortably on apical impulse
C) right kidney is easier palpable than the left
D) all of the above - correct answer ✔✔ D) all of the above
A 67 year old female with a history of atherosclerosis is at her primary care provider's office for
her annual physical exam. Her blood pressure is measured to be 160 mm Hg/96 mm Hg, but the
provider auscultates a period of silence between 140 mm Hg and 120 mm Hg. What is the term
used to describe the silent interval between the systolic and diastolic pressure?
A) atrial fibrillation
B) arrhythmia
C) auscultatory gap
D) Korotkoff silence - correct answer ✔✔ C) auscultatory gap
,A 37 year old male comes to the Emergency Department complaining of hematemesis and
abdominal pain. During the physical examination the PA notes signs of jaundice and caput
medusae. The provider decides to assess the patient for alcoholism using the CAGE
questionnaire. Which of the following terms are not included in the CAGE acronym?
A) cutting down
B) addictive tendencies
C) guilty feelings
D) eye openers - correct answer ✔✔ B) addictive tendencies
Unfortunately your patient who was sick with pancreatic cancer is passing away. As the patient's
provider you have to now relay this information to his/her family members. You try to go
through the five stages of grief with the family in hopes that it helps them try to cope with what
is to come. What are the five stages of grief as defined by Kubler-Ross?
A) Denial and isolation, anger, depression or sadness, bargaining, acceptance
B) Anger, denial and isolation, depression or sadness, bargaining, acceptance
C) Denial and isolation, anger, bargaining, depression or sadness, acceptance
D) Acceptance, anger, bargaining, depression or sadness, denial and isolation - correct answer
✔✔ C) Denial and isolation, anger, bargaining, depression or sadness, acceptance
Your 16 year old patient comes in for their annual exam, you notice she looks malnourished and
she has lost an abnormal amount of weight since her last visit. You proceed to ask questions
regarding her diet and exercise and she mentions that she is afraid to gain weight and says she
doesn't feel the need to eat. She also has concerns about her recent irregular periods. As her
primary care provider, you start to think she may be suffering from which of the following?
A) Bulimia nervosa
B) Anorexia nervosa
C) neither she is just a normal teenager
D) patient is maintaining a more active lifestyle - correct answer ✔✔ B) anorexia nervosa
, A 65 year old male comes into the clinic for his annual checkup. He seems anxious and nervous
as you are taking his blood pressure and mentions he has white coat hypertension. Which of the
following clinical signs do you expect to see when you take his blood pressure?
A) high systolic BP, low diastolic BP
B) high systolic BP, high diastolic BP
C) low systolic BP, low diastolic BP
D) low systolic BP, high diastolic BP - correct answer ✔✔ B) high systolic BP, high diastolic BP
A 35 year old male comes into the Emergency Department in apparent distress and is slurring
his words. Upon talking to a nurse, you find out that he frequents the hospital and has a known
history of alcohol abuse. In order to find out if he in fact does have an Alcohol Use Disorder
(AUD), you ask him a series of screening questions. Which of the following questions will you
NOT ask the patient during his screening?
A) Do you feel annoyed when you are criticized when you drink?
B) When was the first time you drank alcohol?
C) Have you ever felt the need to cut down on your drinking?
D) Have you ever felt the need to drink first thing in the morning when you open your eyes to
cure a hangover or steady your nerves? - correct answer ✔✔ B) When was the first time you
drank alcohol?
A 35 year old woman goes to her dermatologist due to a shiny and translucent papule on her
face. She noticed that it has slowly been growing over the past 3 months. After taking a biopsy
of the area, it is found to be cancerous. What is the diagnosis
A) basal cell carcinoma
B) squamous cell carcinoma
C) vitiligo
D) malignant melanoma - correct answer ✔✔ A) basal cell carcinoma
A 70 year old bedridden male complains of pain on his lower back and buttocks. Upon
examination, his caretaker sees that he has begun to develop a reddened area on his sacrum
