HERMES Paediatric Respiratory study plan

Map the full paediatric respiratory syllabus into a personal topic checklist, weighting the highest-yield areas (asthma and wheeze, bronchiolitis, cystic fibrosis, pneumonia, sleep-disordered breathing) at the top

Build a one-page normal-values reference covering infant and child respiratory rate, oxygen saturation targets, spirometry reference ranges and predicted values by height

Review airway embryology and developmental anatomy and explain how small-calibre airways and compliant chest walls alter presentation of obstruction in infants

Practise interpreting 10 arterial and capillary blood gases, classifying each as respiratory or metabolic and compensated or uncompensated

Describe the pathophysiology, transmission and clinical course of bronchiolitis and contrast it with recurrent viral wheeze in preschoolers

Apply validated severity scores and current oxygen-saturation thresholds to decide admission versus ambulation for bronchiolitis

Compare asthma controller and reliever strategies in children, including age-specific inhaler device and spacer selection

Interpret 15 spirometry tracings, distinguishing obstructive, restrictive and normal patterns and identifying poor-effort loops

Outline the genetics, diagnostic testing (sweat chloride, CFTR genotyping) and multiorgan monitoring schedule for cystic fibrosis across childhood

Explain airway clearance techniques and describe when each is preferred by age and clinical status

Summarise pulmonary exacerbation recognition and antibiotic selection principles in cystic fibrosis

Interpret 10 chest radiographs and 5 chest CT descriptions for common paediatric patterns (hyperinflation, consolidation, bronchiectasis, atelectasis)

Classify paediatric pneumonia by age group and likely organism and justify empiric antibiotic choice for each

Recognise complications of pneumonia (effusion, empyema, abscess, necrotising disease) and describe their initial imaging and management

Review tuberculosis screening, latent versus active disease and paediatric treatment regimens

Describe the presentation and initial management of croup, epiglottitis, bacterial tracheitis and foreign-body aspiration

Explain sleep physiology across childhood and the diagnostic pathway for obstructive sleep apnoea, including polysomnography indices

Summarise management options for paediatric OSA, from adenotonsillectomy to non-invasive ventilation, and their indications

Review neuromuscular and chest-wall disorders (spinal muscular atrophy, Duchenne muscular dystrophy, scoliosis) and their respiratory surveillance needs

Describe home oxygen and long-term ventilation assessment criteria in children

Review neonatal respiratory conditions (respiratory distress syndrome, transient tachypnoea, meconium aspiration, bronchopulmonary dysplasia) and their long-term sequelae

Explain the pathophysiology and management of paediatric pulmonary hypertension and congenital lung malformations

Summarise primary ciliary dyskinesia and immunodeficiency-related respiratory disease, including diagnostic tests

Interpret 10 sweat tests, allergy panels and immunology results in respiratory case vignettes

Work through 60 mixed-format practice questions under timed conditions, recording a reason for each incorrect answer

Re-derive the weakest three topics identified from practice performance and write concise revision notes on each

Practise structured case-based answers covering history, examination, investigations and management for 8 vignettes

Review paediatric respiratory emergencies (acute severe asthma, tension pneumothorax, upper-airway obstruction) and rehearse escalation steps

Consolidate the highest-yield facts into a single condensed revision document covering all major conditions

Re-attempt all previously missed practice questions and confirm each error is now resolved

Complete two full-length timed mock papers and review every answer

Finalise a one-page rapid-review sheet of thresholds, drug doses and referral criteria for use in the final days