Iraqi Board Family Medicine study guide
Iraqi Board Family Medicine · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
The Iraqi Board in Family Medicine is a postgraduate specialty qualification awarded through the Iraqi Board for Medical Specializations, the national body that oversees residency-based board training in Iraq. It is intended for physicians who have entered structured family medicine training and who intend to work as family physicians in primary care, community health centres, teaching posts, or mixed urban and rural practice. The Iraqi Board Family Medicine study guide has 14 sections and about 3,590 words.
01Principles of Family Medicine and Primary Care
The Iraqi Board examination tests whether you can apply the defining attributes of family medicine to undifferentiated problems in primary care, rather than reproduce hospital specialty knowledge. The domain covers first contact, continuity, comprehensiveness, coordination, community orientation and patient-centred care, including the family and biopsychosocial context.
265 words, about 1 min02Internal Medicine in Family Practice
The domain tests safe primary-care management of common adult medical problems: hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidaemia, thyroid disease, asthma and COPD, infections and cardiovascular risk. The exam favours decisions about investigation, initial treatment, monitoring and referral thresholds.
265 words, about 1 min03Pediatrics and Child Health
The paediatrics domain tests growth, development, nutrition, immunisation, common infections, asthma and recognition of the sick child in primary care. The examiner expects you to use age-specific norms and to distinguish self-limiting illness from red flags.
254 words, about 1 min04Obstetrics and Gynecology / Women's Health
Obstetrics and women’s health in family practice covers antenatal care, common complaints, contraception, abnormal bleeding, menopause and prompt recognition of obstetric emergencies. The exam tests risk stratification and referral, not operative obstetrics.
261 words, about 1 min05Surgery and Orthopedics in Primary Care
Primary-care surgery and orthopaedics tests recognition, initial stabilisation and appropriate referral for acute abdominal pain, wounds, hernias, fractures, soft-tissue injury and back pain. You are not expected to perform major operations, but you must not miss limb- or life-threatening conditions.
262 words, about 1 min06Psychiatry and Mental Health
Psychiatry and mental health tests recognition and safe first-line management of depression, anxiety, psychosis, somatisation, substance misuse and suicide risk in primary care. The exam emphasises risk assessment, differential diagnosis and when to refer urgently.
260 words, about 1 min07Community Medicine
Community medicine tests population-level thinking: determinants of health, primary health care, health promotion, equity, community diagnosis and the organisation of preventive services. The exam asks you to move from an individual consultation to a defined population.
251 words, about 1 min08Epidemiology and Biostatistics
Epidemiology and biostatistics tests whether you can interpret rates, study designs, diagnostic tests and causal claims. The exam often presents a short scenario or 2×2 table and asks for the measure or the main bias.
260 words, about 1 min09Preventive Medicine, Health Promotion and Screening
Preventive medicine and screening tests the criteria for worthwhile screening, immunisation, lifestyle counselling and risk-based prevention. The exam expects you to distinguish evidence-based screening from opportunistic testing and to discuss harms.
253 words, about 1 min10Emergency Medicine and Acute Care
Emergency medicine and acute care tests systematic resuscitation, scene safety, triage and time-critical referral in primary care. The exam favours ABCDE, reversible causes and drugs that must not be delayed.
252 words, about 1 min11Geriatrics and Palliative Care
Geriatrics and palliative care tests comprehensive assessment of older adults and relief of suffering in advanced illness. The exam emphasises function, cognition, falls, polypharmacy, goals of care and symptom control.
254 words, about 1 min12Medical Ethics, Professionalism and Communication Skills
Ethics, professionalism and communication tests consent, capacity, confidentiality, truth-telling, boundaries and response to error. The exam rewards reasoning about competing duties, not slogans.
244 words, about 1 min13Research Methodology
Research methodology tests whether you can turn a clinical uncertainty into a valid, ethical study and interpret its limitations. The exam often asks for the design, sampling method, main bias or ethical safeguard.
252 words, about 1 min14Evidence-Based Medicine and Medical Education
Evidence-based medicine and medical education tests formulating answerable questions, appraising evidence, applying guidelines and teaching effectively. The exam asks you to use evidence with patients, not to worship it.
257 words, about 1 min