Section outline

  • GENERAL

    • Questions should ideally start with a short vignette (see examples). Ideally the candidate should be able to think of the answer without seeing the responses
    • Avoid negative words such as ‘not’ or ‘except’
    • If using images, avoid those that identify the patient

    TOPICS

    Here some example topics according to our curriculum. Please draft MCQs based on your expertise:

    Infectious diseases

    Emphasis on infections that are important in the tropics, such as HIV, malaria and TB:

    • Viral infections: HIV/AIDS, Dengue fever and other arboviruses, Lassa/Ebola and other causes of VHF, Rabies, viral gastrointestinal infections, SARS, MERS-CoV, Japanese encephalitis and other viral encephalitides, Polio, Measles, Hepatitis viruses
    • Bacterial infections: Anthrax, Brucellosis, Leptospirosis, Leprosy, Melioidosis, Plague, Relapsing fever, Tetanus, Tuberculosis, Typhoid, Typhus/Rickettsial infections
    • Protozoal infections: Gut protozoa, Leishmania, Malaria, Trypanosomiasis

    • Parasitic infections: Cestodes, helminths and other nematodes, filariasis, schistosomiasis, other trematodes
    • Fungal infections: Deep mycoses, Histoplasmosis, Cryptococcal disease, other fungal infections
    • Arthropods: Myiasis, other Arthropod infections/infestations, Vectors of clinical importance (lice, ticks, mites)
    • Infection syndromes: Diarrhoeal diseases, Hepatitis, Meningitis, Respiratory infections, PUO/Fever, Sexually Transmitted Infections

    Public health

    • Water and sanitation, Disaster/refugee medicine, Maternal, Child and Reproductive health, Nutrition, Epidemiology, Immunisation

    Non-communicable diseases

    Emphasis on impact and management of these problems in the tropics:

    • Diabetes, Hypertension, Cardiovascular disease, Asthma, Epilepsy, Stroke, Mental health, Rheumatic fever, Travel medicine, Bites and stings, Skin disease, Anaesthesia, Ophthalmology, Malignancies, Surgery/trauma, Drugs/alcohol, Vitamin deficiencies, Malnutrition

    COMPETENCIES

    Vary the competencies you are tesing, for example:

    • Epidemiology (including any vectors and other forms of transmission, life-cycles)
    • Manifestations / Clinical course
    • Diagnosis
    • Management
    • Prevention (including vaccines)