MDCG Medical Exam study plan

Build a one-page diagnostic algorithm for the top 15 chief complaints (e.g., chest pain, dyspnea, abdominal pain, headache, syncope) from a primary care and emergency perspective.

List the sensitivity, specificity, and likelihood ratios (where available) for at least 25 common screening and diagnostic tests, and flag which tests are inappropriate for routine use.

Practice 20 clinical vignettes that require selecting the next best diagnostic step, then write a brief rationale for each answer.

Identify five high-yield diagnostic pitfalls (e.g., anchoring, premature closure) and describe a strategy to avoid each.

Create a comparison table of at least 10 clinical decision rules (e.g., Wells score, PERC, HEART, Ottawa ankle/knee, Centor) including indication, components, and validated cutoffs.

Summarize the core legal and ethical principles (informed consent, confidentiality, capacity, negligence, mandated reporting) and apply them to five short scenarios.

Review the regulatory framework for medical practice in your jurisdiction (licensure, scope of practice, telehealth rules) and note three recent changes.

Answer 40 mixed diagnostic and ethics questions under timed conditions and log errors by category.

Construct a drug class summary for 15 major classes (e.g., antihypertensives, anticoagulants, antibiotics, psychotropics) listing mechanism, key adverse effects, monitoring parameters, and common interactions.

Explain the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic principles that drive dosing adjustments in renal/hepatic impairment, pregnancy, and older adults.

Analyze 10 prescription scenarios for appropriateness, contraindications, and deprescribing opportunities.

Map the top 10 high-alert medications and their required safety checks (e.g., dual verification, renal dosing).

Outline the legal requirements for medical documentation, informed consent, and privacy (e.g., HIPAA-like rules) and apply them to three case examples.

Develop a structured approach to the patient interview and physical exam for common presentations, including red flags that change management.

Draft a management plan for five chronic conditions (e.g., diabetes, hypertension, asthma, depression, chronic kidney disease) following current guidelines.

Complete 30 patient-care and legal/ethical practice questions and review each incorrect answer.

Build a preventive care checklist by age and risk group (vaccinations, cancer screening, lifestyle counseling) and compare with at least two guideline sources.

Calculate and interpret key epidemiological measures (incidence, prevalence, relative risk, odds ratio, number needed to treat) using 10 practice datasets.

Describe the steps of an outbreak investigation and apply them to a simulated foodborne illness cluster.

Explain the principles of screening test evaluation (lead-time bias, length bias, overdiagnosis) and identify three examples.

Practice assigning accurate ICD-10-CM and CPT codes for 20 clinical vignettes, using official coding guidelines.

Identify the documentation elements required to support evaluation and management (E/M) level selection and apply them to five notes.

Explain the revenue cycle, claim denial management, and compliance risks (upcoding, unbundling) with examples.

Review a sample medical record for completeness and legal sufficiency, noting deficiencies.

Create an emergency algorithm for five time-critical conditions (e.g., anaphylaxis, sepsis, stroke, STEMI, status epilepticus) including first-line drugs and doses.

Apply a root cause analysis (RCA) framework to a simulated adverse event and propose system-level improvements.

Describe the components of a just culture and how to report and learn from medical errors.

Complete 30 emergency medicine and quality/safety questions and review errors.

Take a full-length timed practice exam (200 questions) under test conditions and score it by domain.

Review all incorrect and flagged questions, categorize errors by domain, and update weak-area notes.

Revisit the highest-yield summaries from weeks 1–7 and create a one-page 'last-minute' review sheet.

Simulate exam-day logistics (timing, breaks, materials) and set a personal pacing plan.