Arab Board Family Medicine Final Written study guide
Arab Board Family Medicine Final Written · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
The Arab Board of Family Medicine Final Written Examination is the written component of the Higher Arab Board certification in family medicine, administered under the Council of Arab Health Ministers' specialist training framework. It is intended for physicians who have completed accredited family medicine residency training and are seeking specialist recognition in an Arab country. The Arab Board Family Medicine Final Written study guide has 12 sections and about 4,108 words.
01Family Medicine Principles
Family medicine is defined by first contact, continuity, comprehensiveness, coordination and contextual care . Questions test whether you can distinguish these principles from hospital-specialty logic.
280 words, about 1 min02History and Professionalism
Know the milestones: the 1948 NHS and 1966 Millis Commission in the US, the founding of WONCA (1972) , and the Alma-Ata Declaration (1978) for primary health care. In the Arab region, the Arab Board of Health Specializations and regional family medicine societies shaped training.
284 words, about 1 min03Health Promotion
Health promotion is the process of enabling people to increase control over their health ( Ottawa Charter, 1986 ). Know the five Ottawa action areas (healthy public policy, supportive environments, community action, personal skills, reorienting services) and three health promotion strategies (enable, mediate, advocate).
266 words, about 1 min04Disease Prevention and Screening
Know the major recommended screens and their intervals: cervical cancer (cytology/HPV), breast cancer (mammography), colorectal cancer (FIT/colonoscopy), hypertension , diabetes (risk-based), lipids , and vaccination schedules. In the Arab region, consider hepatitis B/C , consanguinity-related genetic disease , and vitamin D deficiency .
264 words, about 1 min05Cardiovascular Disorders
Master hypertension (diagnosis, ABPM, target organ damage, first-line agents), ischaemic heart disease (stable angina vs ACS, TIMI/GRACE, dual antiplatelet therapy, reperfusion), heart failure (HFrEF vs HFpEF, ejection fraction, quadruple therapy), atrial fibrillation (CHA₂DS₂-VASc, HAS-BLED, anticoagulation), and dyslipidaemia (ASCVD risk, statin intensity). Use SCORE2/ASCVD calculators for primary prevention.
250 words, about 1 min06Respiratory Disorders
Know asthma (variable airflow obstruction, reversibility, GINA stepwise management, inhaler technique, adherence) and COPD (post-bronchodilator FEV₁/FVC <0.70, GOLD groups ABE, smoking cessation, vaccination, LAMA/LABA, pulmonary rehabilitation). Distinguish asthma–COPD overlap and the role of eosinophils.
227 words, about 1 min07Endocrine, Metabolic and Nutritional Disorders
Master diagnosis (fasting ≥7.0 mmol/L, 2-h OGTT ≥11.1, HbA1c ≥6.5%, random ≥11.1 with symptoms), targets (individualised HbA1c), and therapy (metformin first-line; SGLT2 inhibitors/GLP-1 agonists for cardiorenal protection). Know hypoglycaemia management and sick-day rules .
221 words, about 1 min08Gastrointestinal, Hepatic and Renal Disorders
Know GERD (alarm features, PPI trial, endoscopy indications), peptic ulcer disease (H. pylori testing/eradication), irritable bowel syndrome (Rome criteria, red flags), inflammatory bowel disease (distinguish Crohn vs UC), and coeliac disease (serology, duodenal biopsy).
209 words, about 1 min09Women's Health
Know abnormal uterine bleeding (PALM-COEIN), PCOS (Rotterdam criteria), endometriosis , fibroids , contraception (efficacy, contraindications per UKMEC), and menopause (HRT risks and benefits, VMS management). Cervical screening (HPV testing/cytology), breast awareness and mammography, STI screening (chlamydia, gonorrhoea, HIV, syphilis), and pelvic inflammatory disease (empiric treatment, partner notification).
212 words, about 1 min10Antenatal and Reproductive Medicine
Know the schedule of visits , booking bloods (blood group, Rh, Hb, rubella, syphilis, HIV, hepatitis B, glucose), dating and anomaly scans , and routine supplementation (folic acid, vitamin D, iron where indicated). Understand preconception care - folic acid, medication review, vaccination, chronic disease optimisation.
228 words, about 1 min11Child Health, Growth and Development
Use WHO growth charts ; know failure to thrive (weight faltering, causes: inadequate intake, malabsorption, increased demand, psychosocial). Understand short stature (familial, constitutional, GH deficiency, coeliac, hypothyroidism) and obesity in children.
239 words, about 1 min12Mental Health and Behavioural Medicine
Use a structured approach: risk (suicide, self-harm, harm to others), symptoms, function, substance use, social context. Know PHQ-9/GAD-7 as screening aids, not diagnoses.
1,428 words, about 7 min