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Subject Examinations: Basic Science Disciplines

Behavioral Sciences   Histology and Cell Biology   Pathology
Biochemistry   Microbiology   Pharmacology
Gross Anatomy and Embryology Neuroscience   Physiology
         
Complete, printable version of the content outlines PDF Icon

BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES
•
 Progression through life cycle
1%–5%
•
 Psychological and social factors influencing patient behavior
5%–10%
•
 Patient interviewing, consultation, and interactions with the family
10%–15%
•
 Medical ethics, jurisprudence, and professional behavior
5%–10%
•
 Nutrition including vitamin deficiencies and eating disorders
1%–5%
•
 Central & peripheral nervous systems
50%–55%
•
 Normal processes (brain stem, brain, motor systems, autonomic nervous systems)
5%–10%
•
 Psychopathologic disorders
30%–40%
•
 Principles of therapy and pharmacodynamic general principles
5%–10%
•
 Gender, ethnic, and behavioral considerations affecting
disease treatment and prevention (including psychosocial, cultural, occupational, and environmental)
5%–10%

BIOCHEMISTRY
•
 Gene expression: DNA structure, replication, and exchange
5%–10%
•
 Gene expression: transcription (including defects)
5%–10%
•
 Gene expression: translation (including defects)
5%–10%
•
 Structure and function of proteins
5%–10%
•
 Energy metabolism
15%–20%
•
 Metabolic pathways of small molecules
15%–20%
•
 Biology of cells
5%–10%
•
 Human development and genetics
1%–5%
•
 Biology of tissue response to disease
1%–5%
•
 Nutrition
5%–10%
•
 Pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic processes
1%–5%
•
 Normal processes
10%–15%
•
 Hematopoietic & lymphoreticular system
1%–5%
•
 Central & peripheral nervous system
1%–5%
•
 Endocrine system
5%–10%

GROSS ANATOMY AND EMBRYOLOGY
GROSS ANATOMY
 
System
•
 Hematopoietic & lymphoreticular
1%–5%
•
 Central & peripheral nervous
10%–15%
•
 Skin & related connective tissue
1%–5%
•
 Musculoskeletal
20%–25%
•
 Respiratory
5%–10%
•
 Cardiovascular
15%–20%
•
 Gastrointestinal
10%–15%
•
 Renal/urinary
5%–10%
•
 Reproductive
10%–15%
•
 Endocrine
5%–10%
 
Process
•
 Normal
60%–75%
•
 Abnormal
25%–40%
EMBRYOLOGY
 
System
•
 Hematopoietic & lymphoreticular
5%–10%
•
 Central & peripheral nervous
5%–10%
•
 Skin & related connective tissue
5%–10%
•
 Musculoskeletal
5%–10%
•
 Respiratory
5%–10%
•
 Cardiovascular
5%–10%
•
 Gastrointestinal
5%–10%
•
 Renal/urinary
5%–10%
•
 Reproductive
5%–10%
•
 Endocrine
5%–10%
 
Process
•
 Normal
100%
HUMAN DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
   
•
 Human Development and Genetics
(100%)

HISTOLOGY AND CELL BIOLOGY
General Principles
30%–35%
 
•
 Biochemistry and molecular biology
1%–5%
•
 Cell biology
25%–30%
•
 Signal transduction
1%–5%
•
 Cell components
5%–10%
•
 Nucleus
1%–5%
•
 Cytoskeleton
1%–5%
•
 Secretion and exocytosis, endocytosis, transcytosis
1%–5%
•
 Cell cycle, mitosis, meiosis
5%–10%
•
 Epithelial cells
5%–10%
•
 Muscle cells
1%–5%
•
 Human development and genetics
1%–5%
•
 Biology of tissue response
1%–5%
•
 Immune responses
1%–5%
Organ Systems
65%–70%
  
•
 Hematopoietic & lymphoreticular
1%–5%
•
 Central & peripheral nervous
10%–15%
•
 Skin & related connective tissue
5%–10%
•
 Musculoskeletal
5%–10%
•
 Respiratory
5%–10%
•
 Cardiovascular
5%–10%
•
 Gastrointestinal
5%–10%
•
 Renal/urinary
5%–10%
•
 Reproductive
5%–10%
•
 Endocrine
5%–10%

MICROBIOLOGY
Microbiology Module
General Principles
65%–70%
 
•
 Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Genetics
5%–10%
•
 Tissue Response to Disease
1%–5%
•
 Pharmacodynamic/Pharmacokinetic Processes
1%–5%
•
 Microbial Biology and Infection
50%–55%
•
 Microbial classification and its basis
1%–5%
•
 Bacteria and bacterial diseases
25%–30%
•
 Viruses and viral diseases
20%–25%
•
 Fungi and fungal infections
1%–5%
•
 Parasites and parasitic diseases
1%–5%
•
 Principles of sterilization and pure culture technique
1%–5%
•
 Immune Responses
1%–5%
Organ Systems
10%–15%
 
•
 Hematopoietic & lymphoreticular
1%–4%
•
 Central & peripheral nervous
1%–4%
•
 Skin & related connective tissue
1%–4%
•
 Musculoskeletal
1%–4%
•
 Respiratory
1%–4%
•
 Cardiovascular
1%–4%
•
 Gastrointestinal
1%–4%
•
 Renal/urinary
1%–4%
•
 Reproductive
1%–4%
Immunology Module
 
•
 Immunologic Processes
12%–15%
•
 Immunologic Diseases
8%–10%

NEUROSCIENCE
•
 Biology of cells (signal transduction, muscle cells)
1%–5%
•
 Central/peripheral nervous system
95%–99%
•
 Normal processes
65%–70%
•
 Embryonic development
1%–5%
•
 Organ structure and function
50%–55%
•
 Spinal cord
5%–10%
•
 Brain stem
5%–10%
•
 Brain
5%–10%
•
 Sensory systems
5%–10%
•
 Motor systems
5%–10%
•
 Autonomic nervous systems
1%–5%
•
 Peripheral nerve
1%–5%
•
 Cell/tissue structure and function
5%–10%
•
 Repair, regeneration, and changes associated with stage of life
1%–5%
•
 Abnormal processes
25%–30%
•
 Infectious, inflammatory, immunologic disorders
1%–5%
•
 Traumatic/mechanical disorders
1%–5%
•
 Neoplastic disorders
1%–5%
•
 Metabolic/regulatory disorders
1%–5%
•
 Vascular disorders
1%–5%
•
 Systemic disorders
1%–5%
•
 Idiopathic disorders
1%–5%
•
 Congenital/metabolic disorders
1%–5%
•
 Degenerative disorders
1%–5%
•
 Paroxysmal disorders
1%–5%
•
 Disorders of the special senses
1%–5%
•
 Principles of therapeutics
1%–5%
NEUROPATHOLOGY
 
•
 Nutrition
1%–5%
•
 Central/peripheral nervous system
95%–99%
•
 Infectious, inflammatory, immunologic disorders
20%–25%
•
 Traumatic/mechanical disorders
1%–5%
•
 Neoplastic disorders
20%–25%
•
 Vascular disorders
15%–20%
•
 Congenital/metabolic disorders
5%–10%
•
 Degenerative disorders
20%–25%
PSYCHOPATHOLOGY/PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY
 
•
 Personality traits or coping style
1%–5%
•
 Central/peripheral nervous system
95%–99%
•
 Psychopathologic disorders
70%–75%
•
 Early-onset disorders
1%–5%
•
 Substance use disorders
10%–15%
•
 Schizophrenia
10%–15%
•
 Mood disorders
15%–20%
•
 Anxiety disorders
10%–15%
•
 Somatoform disorders
1%–5%
•
 Physical and sexual abuse
5%–10%
•
 Other disorders
1%–5%
•
 Psychopharmacologic agents
20%–25%

PATHOLOGY
General Principles
35%–40%
 
•
 Cell Biology
1%–5%
•
 Human Development and Genetics
1%–5%
•
 Biology of Tissue Response
10%–15%
•
 Multisystem Processes
5%–10%
•
 Microbial Biology and Infection
1%–5%
•
 Immune Responses
5%–10%
Organ Systems
60%–65%
 
•
 Hematopoietic & lymphoreticular
5%–10%
•
 Central & peripheral nervous
5%–10%
•
 Skin & related connective tissue
5%–10%
•
 Musculoskeletal
1%–5%
•
 Respiratory
1%–5%
•
 Cardiovascular
5%–10%
•
 Gastrointestinal
5%–10%
•
 Renal/urinary
5%–10%
•
 Reproductive
5%–10%
•
 Endocrine
1%–5%

PHARMACOLOGY
General Principles
40%–45%
 
•
 Pharmacokinetics, Pharmacodynamics
5%–10%
•
 Antimicrobial Drugs
10%–15%
•
 Carcinogens, Environmental Insults, Antineoplastic/Immunosuppressant Drugs
5%–10%
Organ Systems (including mechanism of action, therapy, adverse effect)
55%–60%
 
•
 Hematopoietic & lymphoreticular
5%–10%
•
 Central & peripheral nervous
35%–40%
•
 Anesthetics
1%–5%
•
 Hypnotics
1%–5%
•
 Psychopharmacologic agents
1%–5%
•
 Anticonvulsants
1%–5%
•
 Stimulants, amphetamines
1%–5%
•
 Antiparkinsonian drugs
1%–5%
•
 Botulinum toxin
1%–5%
•
 Neuromuscular junction blocking agents
1%–5%
•
 Antiglaucoma drugs
1%–5%
•
 Drugs used to decrease intracranial pressure
1%–5%
•
 Antimigraine agents
1%–5%
•
 Drugs affecting autonomic nervous system
5%–10%
•
 Skin & related connective tissue
1%–5%
•
 Musculoskeletal
1%–5%
•
 Respiratory
1%–5%
•
 Cardiovascular
15%–20%
•
 Gastrointestinal
1%–5%
•
 Renal/urinary
5%–10%
•
 Reproductive
1%–5%
•
 Endocrine
1%–5%

PHYSIOLOGY
Physiology
 
•
 Cell Biology
10%–15%
•
 Multisystem Processes (Nutrition, Acid-Base, Temperature/Environment)
10%–15%
•
 Organ Systems
•
 Skin & related connective tissue
1%–5%
•
 Musculoskeletal
1%–5%
•
 Respiratory
5%–10%
•
 Cardiovascular
15%–20%
•
 Gastrointestinal
10%–15%
•
 Renal/urinary
15%–20%
•
 Reproductive
5%–10%
•
 Endocrine
5%–10%
Neurophysiology
 
•
 Nerve Organ Structure and Function (brain, sensory systems, motor systems, autonomic nervous system)
45%–50%
•
 Nerve Cell/Tissue Structure and Function (neurons, neurotransmitters, brain metabolism, glia/myelin, brain homeostasis)
50%–55%