NEET PG mnemonics

Cranial nerves

Predominant function of each cranial nerve (S = sensory, M = motor, B = both)

Some Say Marry Money, But My Brother Says Big Brains Matter More

Limit: Classifies the dominant function only. Autonomic and special-sense components are not captured, and some sources classify nerve fibres differently.

Upper limb

Muscles of the rotator cuff

SITS

Limit: Lists the muscles only; it does not give their nerve supply or actions, so learn those separately.

Upper limb

Carpal bones, lateral to medial, proximal row then distal row

Some Lovers Try Positions That They Can't Handle

Limit: Orders the bones as seen from the palm side with the thumb lateral; check the orientation your textbook uses.

Brachial plexus

Order of the brachial plexus from proximal to distal

Randy Travis Drinks Cold Beer

Limit: Gives only the order. The branches and what each supplies must be learned separately.

Head and neck

Branches of the external carotid artery

Some Anatomists Like Finding Out Practical Medical Secrets

Limit: Gives the eight branches in roughly proximal to distal order, though origins vary; it does not give their territories.

Upper limb and brachial plexus

Branches of the axillary artery

Screw The Lawyers Save A Patient

Limit: Order follows the artery's three parts relative to pectoralis minor; it does not give sub-branches.

Upper limb and brachial plexus

Muscles of the hand supplied by the median nerve

LOAF

Limit: Covers only the intrinsic hand muscles; forearm muscles and the deep head of flexor pollicis brevis are not included.

Thorax

Vertebral levels of the diaphragm openings

I ate ten eggs at twelve

Limit: Gives levels only; it does not list the full contents of each opening or the smaller apertures.

Lower limb

Muscles forming the pes anserinus

Say Grace before Tea

Limit: Lists the three muscles only; their nerve supplies differ (femoral, obturator, tibial).

Lower limb

Structures behind the medial malleolus, front to back

Tom, Dick And Very Nervous Harry

Limit: Gives order only; it does not describe the flexor retinaculum or the sheath arrangement.

Head and neck

Layers of the scalp

SCALP

Limit: Gives layers only; it does not give the blood supply or nerve supply of the scalp.

Head and neck

Branches of the facial nerve in the parotid

To Zanzibar By Motor Car

Limit: These are the terminal branches only; branches before the parotid, such as the chorda tympani and nerve to stapedius, are not covered.

Upper limb and brachial plexus

Branches of the posterior cord of the brachial plexus

STAR

Limit: Does not list the cords' other branches; lateral and medial cord branches need their own recall.

Upper limb and brachial plexus

Branches of the lateral cord of the brachial plexus

LLM

Limit: Covers the three branches only; it does not give the roots forming the cord (C5-C7).

Head and neck

Parasympathetic ganglia of the head and the nerve each belongs to

Come Play Soccer Outdoors

Limit: Does not cover the sensory or sympathetic roots of these ganglia.

Head and neck

Structures passing through the superior orbital fissure

Lazy Fish Teach Super Nasty Insects About Veins

Limit: Does not cover the optic canal or the inferior orbital fissure, and the order of entry is not captured.

Embryology

Nerve supply of the pharyngeal arches

Trigeminal, Face, Glossy, Superior, Recurrent

Limit: The fifth arch is not formed in humans; muscle and skeletal derivatives of each arch need separate recall.

Medical genetics

Common autosomal trisomies and their chromosome numbers

Patau 13, Edwards 18, Down 21

Limit: Matches number to name only; the findings and screening markers need separate recall.

Medical genetics

Trinucleotide repeat disorders and their repeats

Hunting My Fragile Friend

Limit: Covers four common conditions only; the repeat letters must be learned with the gene and inheritance.

General anatomy and histology

Layers of the epidermis from surface to depth

Come, Let's Get Sun Burned

Limit: Gives the order only; it does not describe cell types or the disorders of each layer.

General physiology

Rule of fractions for body water

60-40-20 rule

Limit: Percentages vary with age, sex and fat content; it gives no values for plasma versus interstitial split.

Blood and immunity

Vitamin K dependent clotting factors

1972 and C, S

Limit: It does not cover factor VIII, XI or other factors, which are not vitamin K dependent.

Blood and immunity

Functions of the five immunoglobulins

GAMED

Limit: It gives roles only, not concentrations or half-lives.

Nerve and muscle

Phases of a neuronal action potential

Rest, Depolarise, Peak, Repolarise, Hyperpolarise

Limit: It lists phases only; it does not explain channel kinetics in detail.

Cardiovascular system

Order of ECG waves and what they represent

P, QRS, T

Limit: It leaves out the PR interval, ST segment and U wave.

Cardiovascular system

Determinants of cardiac output and blood pressure

CO = SV x HR; BP = CO x TPR

Limit: It does not break SV into preload, contractility and afterload.

Cardiovascular system

Phases of the cardiac cycle

I-E-I-R-F-A

Limit: The order is the point; valve timings still need to be learned separately.

Respiratory system

Factors shifting the oxygen dissociation curve right

CADET, face Right

Limit: It does not cover left-shift factors such as HbF, CO and alkalosis.

Respiratory system

Components of vital capacity

Vital Capacity = IRV + TV + ERV

Limit: Residual volume is excluded, so it cannot give FRC or TLC.

Respiratory system

Capacities that include residual volume

FRC, TLC contain Residual

Limit: It does not give the numeric values.

Renal and acid–base

Segment sites of diuretic action

Proximal Loops Distal Collect

Limit: It orders sites only; electrolyte effects must be learned separately.

Renal and acid–base

Reading primary acid–base disturbances

ROME

Limit: It does not identify compensation or mixed disorders.

Gastrointestinal

Source and action of GI hormones

Gastrin Stomach, CCK gall, Secretin bicarbonate

Limit: It leaves out GIP, motilin and others.

Gastrointestinal

Stomach cell types and their products

Parietal Prepares Acid, Chief Cleaves

Limit: It does not describe regulation of secretion.

Endocrinology

Zones of the adrenal cortex and their hormones

GFR: salt, sugar, sex

Limit: It runs outside to inside only; the medulla is a separate structure.

Endocrinology

Anterior pituitary hormones

FLAT PEG

Limit: It does not show hypothalamic releasing hormones or posterior pituitary hormones.

Reproduction

Hormonal triggers of the menstrual cycle

FSH Follicle, LH Ovulates, Progesterone Prepares

Limit: It omits oestrogen's positive feedback and inhibin.

Neurophysiology and special senses

Sensory pathway crossing levels

Dorsal Medulla, Spinothalamic Spinal

Limit: It does not cover tract positions or dissociated loss in syringomyelia.

Amino acids

The essential amino acids

PVT TIM HALL

Limit: Arginine and histidine are classified differently across textbooks (semi-essential or essential in children). Do not treat the list as identical in every source.

Carbohydrate metabolism

Cofactors of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex

Tender Loving Care For Nancy

Limit: It lists cofactors only. The same set is shared by alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase, so it does not separate the two enzymes.

Carbohydrate metabolism

Gluconeogenic enzymes that bypass irreversible glycolytic steps

Pathway Produces Fresh Glucose

Limit: It gives the four enzymes in order but not their locations, cofactors or regulators.

Lipid metabolism

Sphingolipidoses with their enzyme deficiency and inheritance

Fabry is the odd one out: X-linked

Limit: Hunter syndrome (a mucopolysaccharidosis) is also X-linked and is not a sphingolipidosis.

Lipid metabolism

Cherry-red spot on the macula in lysosomal storage diseases

Tay-Sachs and Niemann-Pick have the spot

Limit: Cherry-red spot also occurs in central retinal artery occlusion and some other storage diseases such as Sandhoff disease.

Lipid metabolism

Ketone bodies

Acetone, Acetoacetate, BHB: A-A-B

Limit: It names the three bodies but not the enzymes; HMG-CoA synthase is the rate-limiting step.

Amino acid metabolism

Purely ketogenic amino acids

Leucine and Lysine: L and L

Limit: Isoleucine, phenylalanine, tyrosine and tryptophan are both glucogenic and ketogenic.

Amino acid metabolism

Urea cycle intermediates in order

Ornithine Carbamoyl Citrulline Argininosuccinate Arginine

Limit: It covers the intermediates, not the enzymes' locations (first two steps mitochondrial, rest cytosolic) or the regulator N-acetylglutamate.

Amino acid metabolism

Amino acids accumulating in maple syrup urine disease

Maple syrup has three branches: Leu, Ile, Val

Limit: It tells you which amino acids, not the enzyme (branched-chain alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase) or the cofactor thiamine.

Amino acid metabolism

Tyrosine-pathway inborn errors

PKU, Alkaptonuria, Albinism: P-A-A

Limit: Phenylalanine and tyrosine disorders other than these three, such as tyrosinaemia, are not covered.

Nucleotide metabolism

Sources of atoms in the purine ring

Glycine, Aspartate, Glutamine, CO2, Formate

Limit: It names the sources but not the atom positions in detail beyond those listed.

Vitamins and minerals

Fat-soluble vitamins

ADEK

Limit: It lists the group only and does not say which is stored or toxic in excess.

Vitamins and minerals

Vitamin K dependent clotting factors

Two, Seven, Nine, Ten

Limit: Proteins C and S are also vitamin K dependent but are not covered by this list.

Vitamins and minerals

Features of pellagra

The three Ds

Limit: It does not capture the cause (niacin or tryptophan deficiency), only the presentation.

Molecular biology and genetics

Blotting techniques

SNoW DRoP

Limit: DRoP is DNA, RNA, Protein for the Southern, Northern, Western order. It misses variants such as Southwestern blot (DNA-binding proteins) and the principle of each technique.

Molecular biology and genetics

Stop codons

U Are Away, U Are Gone, U Go Away

Limit: It does not mention that UGA can encode selenocysteine in special contexts.

Molecular biology and genetics

Antibiotics acting on bacterial ribosomal subunits

Buy AT 30, CCEL at 50

Limit: It gives the subunit only, not the exact step blocked or whether the drug is bactericidal.

Clinical biochemistry

Causes of high anion gap metabolic acidosis

MUDPILES

Limit: It does not include non-gap causes (diarrhoea, renal tubular acidosis) or newer causes such as pyroglutamic acid.

Immunopathology

The four types of hypersensitivity

ACID

Limit: Some conditions straddle categories, and type V (stimulating or blocking antibodies, as in Graves disease) is sometimes added.

Inflammation

Cardinal signs of acute inflammation

Rubor, Calor, Tumor, Dolor, Functio laesa

Limit: Describes the gross appearance only. It says nothing about the cellular events, mediators or chronic inflammation.

Haemodynamics

Components of Virchow's triad for thrombosis

Wall, Flow, Blood

Limit: Names the three factors only; it does not rank them or explain arterial versus venous thrombi.

Inflammation and repair

Mediators of the acute inflammatory response to recall by function

Vasodilate, Leak, Attract

Limit: A broad grouping; it leaves out pain mediators, fever mediators and many others.

Neoplasia

Hallmarks of malignancy in cell biology

GRID

Limit: A condensed list; limitless replication, angiogenesis, metabolic change and immune evasion are not captured.

Neoplasia

Tumours that show psammoma bodies

PSaMMoma

Limit: Psammoma bodies can occasionally appear in other lesions, so it is a pointer and not proof.

Neoplasia

Common tumours that metastasise to bone

Prostate, Breast, Kidney, Thyroid, Lung

Limit: Lists sites only, not their relative frequency; multiple myeloma is not a metastasis.

Immunopathology

HLA-B27 associated seronegative spondyloarthropathies

PAIR

Limit: HLA-B27 is supportive, not diagnostic, and not every patient with these conditions carries it.

Neoplasia

Small round blue cell tumours of childhood

MERLiN

Limit: Wilms tumour and retinoblastoma are also small blue cell tumours and are not in the list.

Haematology

Causes of microcytic hypochromic anaemia

TAILS

Limit: Does not distinguish between causes; anaemia of chronic disease is often normocytic.

Haematology

Causes of a raised bleeding time with normal platelet count

Von Willebrand, Aspirin, Glanzmann

Limit: Bernard-Soulier disease and uraemia also prolong bleeding time and are not listed.

Haematology

Translocations in common leukaemias and lymphomas

9-22 CML, 15-17 APL, 8-14 Burkitt, 14-18 Follicular, 11-14 Mantle

Limit: Pairs numbers with disease only; many other translocations are not included.

Haematology

Clinical pentad of thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura

FAT RN

Limit: The full pentad is present in only a minority of patients, so do not wait for all five.

Cell injury and adaptation

Types of necrosis

Co-Li-Ca-Fa-Fi-Ga

Limit: Gangrenous necrosis is a clinical term, not a separate histological pattern.

Systemic pathology: cardiovascular

Major Jones criteria for rheumatic fever

J-O-N-E-S

Limit: Covers major criteria only; minor criteria and the revised high-risk population thresholds are not captured.

Systemic pathology: renal

Causes of nephrotic syndrome in adults

Mixed MFD

Limit: Minimal change disease and amyloidosis also cause adult nephrotic syndrome.

Systemic pathology: respiratory

Pneumoconioses and their agents

Coal, Silica, Asbestos, Beryllium

Limit: Lists agents and one feature each; imaging and dose relationships are not covered.

Systemic pathology: endocrine

Features of MEN 2A

Medullary, Phaeo, Parathyroid

Limit: MEN 2B has mucosal neuromas and a marfanoid habitus instead of parathyroid disease, and MEN 1 differs entirely.

Systemic pathology: bone and soft tissue

Bone tumours and their radiological signs

Sunburst, Onion, Soap bubble

Limit: Signs are suggestive and overlap; histology is needed to confirm.

Drug interactions

Common inducers of cytochrome P450 enzymes

PC BRAGS

Limit: Inclusion of sulfonylureas varies by source, and St John's wort is a clinically important inducer that the mnemonic omits. Acute alcohol use inhibits rather than induces.

Autonomic pharmacology

Cardioselective (beta-1 selective) beta-blockers

BEAM

Limit: Leaves out nebivolol and acebutolol, which are also beta-1 selective, and the letters vary between sources. 'Cardioselective' does not mean safe in severe asthma.

General pharmacology and pharmacokinetics

Stages of pharmacokinetics

LADME

Limit: Some books use ADME and leave out liberation; it does not cover pharmacodynamics.

General pharmacology and pharmacokinetics

Drugs that can show zero-order kinetics

PAT

Limit: Ethanol also follows zero-order kinetics and is not in the acronym; kinetics are dose-dependent, not fixed.

General pharmacology and pharmacokinetics

Common cytochrome P450 inhibitors

SICK FACES

Limit: Omits other important inhibitors such as ciprofloxacin, amiodarone and grapefruit juice; versions differ.

Autonomic nervous system

Muscarinic features of organophosphate poisoning

DUMBELS

Limit: Nicotinic effects such as fasciculations and weakness are not covered, and pupils may be dilated in some cases.

Autonomic nervous system

Features of atropine (anticholinergic) toxicity

Hot as a hare, dry as a bone, red as a beet, blind as a bat, mad as a hatter

Limit: Does not list tachycardia or urinary retention, and the phrases are descriptive, not quantitative.

Autonomic nervous system

Receptors that couple to Gq protein

HAV1 M&M

Limit: Covers only Gq; Gs and Gi receptors need separate recall.

Cardiovascular drugs

Vaughan Williams classes of antiarrhythmics

Some Block Potassium Channels

Limit: Does not cover adenosine and digoxin, which fall outside the scheme.

Cardiovascular drugs

Class IA antiarrhythmic drugs

Double Quarter Pounder

Limit: Covers class IA only, not IB or IC.

Cardiovascular drugs

Adverse effects of loop diuretics

OH DANG

Limit: Does not list hypomagnesaemia or hypocalcaemia; allergy is uncommon.

Cardiovascular drugs

Vitamin K dependent clotting factors affected by warfarin

1972

Limit: Leaves out proteins C and S, which are also vitamin K dependent and explain early skin necrosis.

CNS drugs and antiepileptics

Drugs that cause gingival hyperplasia

PCC

Limit: Not exhaustive; the effect depends on dose and plaque control.

CNS drugs and antiepileptics

Features of neuroleptic malignant syndrome

FEVER

Limit: Does not separate it from serotonin syndrome, where clonus and diarrhoea are prominent.

CNS drugs and antiepileptics

Features of serotonin syndrome

HARMED

Limit: Does not state the cause and not all features appear together.

CNS drugs and antiepileptics

Complications of tricyclic antidepressant overdose

3 Cs

Limit: Anticholinergic features and hypotension are not covered.

Antimicrobials

First-line antitubercular drugs

RIPE

Limit: Does not give doses or duration, and regimens follow current national guidelines.

General pharmacology and pharmacokinetics

Drugs that can cause a drug-induced lupus syndrome

HIPP

Limit: Quinidine and others also cause it; hydralazine and procainamide carry the highest risk.

Toxicology and antidotes

Anticancer and other drugs causing pulmonary fibrosis

BBAMN

Limit: Not exhaustive; bleomycin and amiodarone are the most classic.

Drugs in pregnancy

Adverse effects of lithium

LMNOP

Limit: Leaves out weight gain and narrow therapeutic index; toxicity is dose-related and worsened by dehydration.

Congenital infections

Congenital infections in the TORCH group

TORCH

Limit: The 'O' is a catch-all and its contents differ between textbooks. Each infection has its own distinct pattern, which the mnemonic does not capture.

Gram-positive bacilli

Medically important gram-positive rods

ABCDL

Limit: Omits Nocardia (weakly acid-fast branching rod), Mycobacterium and Propionibacterium. It lists names, not features, so you still need the features.

Bacteriology

Encapsulated bacteria that cause serious infection in asplenia

SHiNE SKiS

Limit: Lists organisms only; versions of this mnemonic vary and it does not give vaccine schedules.

Bacteriology

Catalase-positive organisms in chronic granulomatous disease

Nocardia, Staph, Serratia, Burkholderia, Aspergillus

Limit: It is a word list, not a true acronym, and other catalase-positive organisms such as Pseudomonas, Listeria and E. coli are also classically listed.

Immunology

Immunoglobulin classes in order of serum concentration

GAMDE

Limit: Gives rank only, not function, structure or half-life.

Immunology

Positive acute phase reactants

CRP, Fibrinogen, Ferritin, Hepcidin

Limit: Not exhaustive: serum amyloid A and others are also positive acute phase proteins; albumin falls.

Bacteriology

Bacterial toxins that act by ADP-ribosylation

PECD

Limit: Omits Pseudomonas exotoxin A, which also inhibits EF-2 by ADP-ribosylation.

Bacteriology

Superantigen-producing bacteria causing toxic shock

SS toxins

Limit: Very short; it does not explain the mechanism in detail or other superantigen sources.

Bacteriology

Obligate intracellular bacteria

Rickettsia, Chlamydia, Coxiella, Ehrlichia

Limit: Orientia and Anaplasma are also obligate intracellular; this lists names only.

Bacteriology

Bacteria that cause bloody diarrhoea (dysentery)

SSEEC

Limit: EHEC is toxin-mediated rather than invasive. Also consider Entamoeba histolytica and Yersinia; watery toxin-mediated diarrhoea is not covered.

Virology

DNA viruses with an exception to the usual replication site

All DNA viruses replicate in the nucleus except Pox

Limit: A rule with one exception; it says nothing about RNA viruses.

Virology

Herpesvirus family members and their numbers

HSV1, HSV2, VZV, EBV, CMV, HHV6, HHV7, KSHV

Limit: Lists numbering only; latency sites and drugs are not included.

Virology

Hepatitis viruses by transmission route

A and E enteric, B C D blood

Limit: Hepatitis E can be severe in pregnancy and can become chronic in immunosuppressed patients, so the split is not absolute.

Mycology

Endemic dimorphic fungi

Hot in body, mould in cold

Limit: Coccidioides forms spherules rather than yeast in tissue.

Mycology

Fungi that cause opportunistic infection in the immunocompromised

CAMP

Limit: Not a fixed standard acronym; other fungi such as Fusarium and Talaromyces also matter.

Parasitology

Malaria species and periodicity

Vivax, Ovale tertian; Malariae quartan; Falciparum irregular

Limit: Periodicity may be lost in early or treated disease, and P. knowlesi has a daily cycle.

Parasitology

Soil-transmitted helminths

Ascaris, Trichuris, Hookworm, Strongyloides

Limit: Entry route differs between them, and Enterobius, though not soil-transmitted, is a separate common worm.

General microbiology and sterilisation

Stages of the bacterial growth curve

LLSD

Limit: Describes a closed culture; infection in the body does not follow a clean curve.

Clinical microbiology and hospital infection control

Transmission-based precautions

Contact, Droplet, Airborne

Limit: Standard precautions apply to all patients, and some diseases need more than one category.

Thanatology

Early changes after death in order of appearance

Algor, Livor, Rigor (ALR)

Limit: The three overlap and start at different times, and each is affected by temperature, build, activity before death and cause of death. Time estimates are ranges, never exact.

Identification

Fingerprint pattern types

ALWC

Limit: Gives the names only, not their frequencies or subtypes.

Toxicology

Features of organophosphate poisoning

SLUDGE

Limit: Misses nicotinic effects such as fasciculations and weakness, and CNS features.

Toxicology

Atropine and pralidoxime as antidotes in organophosphate poisoning

Atropine dries, PAM reactivates

Limit: Does not give doses or endpoints of titration.

Toxicology

Chronic arsenic poisoning signs

Mees, Rain, Garlic

Limit: Mees' lines also appear with other heavy metals, and this omits neuropathy and keratoses.

Toxicology

Features of chronic lead poisoning

LEAD

Limit: Omits abdominal colic and renal effects.

Toxicology

Antidote pairs for common poisons

NAC, Naloxone, Flumazenil

Limit: Covers only three poisons and gives no doses.

Injuries and wounds

Types of mechanical injury

ACLI

Limit: Omits stab, chop and firearm wounds.

Sexual offences and forensic psychiatry

Paraphilias: giver versus receiver of pain

Sadist gives, Masochist takes

Limit: Does not cover other paraphilias.

Medical law and ethics

Elements of negligence

4 Ds: Duty, Dereliction, Direct causation, Damage

Limit: Different jurisdictions phrase the tests differently.

Medical law and ethics

Principles of medical ethics

ABJN

Limit: Does not say how to resolve conflicts between principles.

Identification

Methods of identification

Prints, Teeth, DNA

Limit: Does not include tattoos, scars or documents.

Toxicology

Cyanide poisoning antidote sequence

Nitrite then Thiosulphate

Limit: Hydroxocobalamin is an alternative and is often preferred.

Medical law and ethics

Types of inquest in India

Police or Magistrate

Limit: Rules are revised by law, so check the current provisions.

Tobacco control

Brief intervention for tobacco cessation

The 5 A's

Limit: For people not yet ready to quit, a motivational approach (the 5 R's) is used instead. Do not confuse the two.

Concept of health and disease

Levels of prevention

Prim-Pri-Sec-Ter

Limit: It lists the levels only; it does not tell you which examples belong to which level.

Biostatistics

Screening test performance

SnNout and SpPin

Limit: Works best at extremes of sensitivity or specificity; it ignores disease prevalence and predictive values.

Epidemiology

Components of the epidemiological triad

AHE

Limit: Suits infectious disease best; chronic disease is better explained by the web of causation.

Biostatistics

Normal distribution coverage

68-95-99.7

Limit: Applies only to a normal distribution; skewed data do not follow these proportions.

Biostatistics

Order of measures of central tendency in a positively skewed distribution

Mean is dragged to the tail

Limit: States the order only for unimodal skewed data; it gives no calculation method.

Nutrition

Features of pellagra

The three Ds

Limit: Late-stage features; a fourth D, death, follows if untreated, and early disease may be subtle.

Epidemiology

Phases of a clinical drug trial

Safe, Dose, Prove, Watch

Limit: Some drugs, such as oncology agents, differ in who is enrolled in phase I.

Concept of health and disease

Dimensions of health

Physical, Mental, Social, Spiritual

Limit: Other dimensions such as vocational and environmental are also described in textbooks.

Non-communicable diseases

Shared modifiable risk factors of NCDs

TADI

Limit: Leaves out non-modifiable factors such as age and genes and also air pollution.

Communicable diseases

Mosquito vector genera and their diseases

A-A-C-M

Limit: Covers the main genera only; species within each differ in biting time and habitat.

Communicable diseases

Rabies exposure categories

Touch, Nibble, Bleed

Limit: A memory aid for categories only; the exact dose schedule and wound care must be learned separately.

Nutrition

Fat-soluble vitamins

ADEK

Limit: Says nothing of the functions or of the different deficiency states.

Demography and health indicators

Components of the Human Development Index

Health, Education, Income

Limit: Indicator definitions have been revised over time, so check the current method.

Biostatistics

Choice of significance test by data type

Chi for counts, T for two means, ANOVA for many

Limit: Assumes normally distributed data; non-parametric alternatives apply otherwise.

Environmental health

Colour coding of biomedical waste containers

Red plastic, Yellow soft, White sharps, Blue glass

Limit: Rules are updated periodically, so confirm against the current biomedical waste rules.

Epidemiology

Bias types in screening

Lead, Length, Overdiagnosis

Limit: Not a full list of biases; selection and volunteer bias also affect screening studies.

Concept of health and disease

Natural history of disease stages

Susceptible, Subclinical, Clinical, Outcome

Limit: Not every disease passes through all stages, and the durations vary widely.

Endocrinology

Components of multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1

The 3 Ps

Limit: MEN2A/2B involve medullary thyroid carcinoma and phaeochromocytoma, not the same set; do not blend them.

Acid–base disorders

Causes of a raised anion gap metabolic acidosis

MUDPILES

Limit: Older versions of the mnemonic include paraldehyde and others; newer lists differ. Do not treat it as complete.

Cardiology

Cardiac tamponade

Beck's triad

Limit: The full triad is present in a minority of cases and may be absent in hypovolaemia. Echocardiography makes the diagnosis.

Cardiology

Stroke risk score in non-valvular atrial fibrillation

CHA2DS2-VASc

Limit: Estimates stroke risk only. Bleeding risk is assessed separately, and valvular AF is managed differently.

Endocrinology and diabetes

Whipple's triad confirming hypoglycaemia

Symptoms, low glucose, relief

Limit: Confirms hypoglycaemia only. It does not separate the causes.

Emergency and critical care

qSOFA bedside screen for sepsis with poor outcome

RAS

Limit: A prompt for risk, not a diagnostic test, and not sensitive enough to rule sepsis out.

Emergency and critical care

Maximum scores in each Glasgow Coma Scale component

4-5-6 for E-V-M

Limit: Gives the maxima only, not the grades within each component.

Rheumatology

Classification criteria for systemic lupus erythematosus (ACR 1997)

SOAP BRAIN MD

Limit: Newer EULAR/ACR 2019 criteria require ANA positivity and use weighted scoring.

Neurology

Cardinal features of Parkinson disease

TRAP

Limit: Non-motor features such as anosmia and REM sleep disorder are not captured.

Nephrology and electrolytes

Causes of normal anion gap metabolic acidosis

HARDASS

Limit: Not a complete list; ureteral diversion and pancreatic fistula also cause it.

Haematology and oncology

End-organ damage defining multiple myeloma

CRAB

Limit: Diagnosis also needs clonal plasma cells or a biomarker of malignancy, so CRAB alone is incomplete.

Neurology

Charcot's neurological triad in multiple sclerosis

SIN

Limit: Seen in a minority of patients and not diagnostic. MRI and McDonald criteria are used for diagnosis.

Pancreas

Causes of acute pancreatitis

I GET SMASHED

Limit: All causes are listed with equal weight, but they are not equally common. The relative order differs between regions.

Neurosurgery

Response to raised intracranial pressure

Cushing's triad

Limit: It is a late and unreliable sign. Do not wait for the full triad before acting on a falling Glasgow Coma Scale.

Trauma and burns

Order of the ATLS primary survey

ABCDE

Limit: Covers the sequence only, not the specific interventions or the secondary survey.

Hepatobiliary and pancreatic surgery

Reynolds' pentad in ascending cholangitis

Charcot's triad plus two

Limit: Many patients present with only some features, so absence of the full pentad does not exclude cholangitis.

Breast and endocrine surgery

Features of hyperparathyroidism

Bones, stones, groans and psychic moans

Limit: Many patients today are picked up asymptomatic on routine calcium testing.

Breast and endocrine surgery

Components of MEN 2A syndrome

Medullary, Phaeo, Parathyroid

Limit: Does not cover MEN 1 (3 Ps) or MEN 2B (mucosal neuromas, marfanoid habitus), which differ.

Breast and endocrine surgery

Components of MEN 1 (Wermer's syndrome)

3 Ps

Limit: The gene is MEN1 (menin), not RET, and the mnemonic gives no detail on tumour behaviour.

Vascular surgery

Virchow's triad for venous thrombosis

SEH

Limit: Names the three factors but does not quantify risk or specify which prophylaxis to use.

Vascular surgery

Signs of acute limb ischaemia

The six Ps

Limit: Does not distinguish embolism from thrombosis, which determines treatment.

Hepatobiliary and pancreatic surgery

Reasons for gallstones

Four Fs

Limit: Pigment stones, haemolysis and young or thin patients do not fit the pattern.

Hepatobiliary and pancreatic surgery

Early markers of severity in acute pancreatitis (Glasgow criteria)

PANCREAS

Limit: Thresholds are from Glasgow criteria; revised Atlanta and CT scoring are also used and thresholds may vary by source.

Urology

Differential of scrotal swelling by transillumination

Fluid lights up, solid does not

Limit: Infant hernias and hydroceles can transilluminate, so ultrasound is still needed.

Hernia and abdominal wall

Boundaries of Hesselbach's triangle

RIP

Limit: Does not cover the anatomy of the inguinal canal or the Hesselbach name controversy.

Hernia and abdominal wall

Boundaries of the inguinal canal

MALT

Limit: Simplified; some textbooks assign roof and wall structures slightly differently, so check your reference.

Trauma and burns

Life-threatening thoracic injuries found in the primary survey

ATOM FC

Limit: Some versions use different letter assignments and the list is not exhaustive.

Gastrointestinal surgery

Signs of acute appendicitis

Four named signs

Limit: Clinical signs are insensitive; scoring (Alvarado) and imaging add accuracy.

Gastrointestinal surgery

Common causes of intestinal obstruction in adults

Adhesions, hernias, neoplasms

Limit: The ranking varies by region and age; in children intussusception is a major cause.

Perioperative care

Surgical wound classes by contamination

Clean, Clean-contaminated, Contaminated, Dirty

Limit: Classes are a guide to risk; actual infection rates vary between series.

Breast and endocrine surgery

Hot versus cold thyroid nodule on scintigraphy

Hot is rarely cancer, cold needs FNAC

Limit: Follicular lesions cannot be distinguished by FNAC; capsular invasion needs histology.

Paediatric surgery

Causes of bilious vomiting in a newborn

Malrotation, Atresia, Hirschsprung's, NEC

Limit: A list of causes only; it does not give the investigation or the order of work-up.

Obstetric emergencies

Causes of postpartum haemorrhage

The 4 Ts

Limit: It is a list of causes, not a treatment plan. Management starts with resuscitation and uterine massage at the same time.

Labour and delivery

Cardinal movements of labour

Every Day Few Infants Enter Rather Easily

Limit: Gives the order only. It does not explain why each movement happens or cover expulsion of the shoulders.

Hypertensive disorders

Signs of magnesium sulphate toxicity

Reflex, Respire, Rhythm

Limit: Gives order of toxicity only. Urine output below 30 mL per hour also needs attention, and the antidote is calcium gluconate.

Complications of pregnancy

Antepartum haemorrhage differences

Praevia Pain-free, Abruption Agonising

Limit: Concealed abruption can occur with little visible bleeding, and the two can coexist.

Normal pregnancy and antenatal care

Fundal height landmarks

12, 24, 36

Limit: Approximate only. Near term the fundus may descend as the head engages.

Labour and delivery

Determinants of labour progress

3 Ps

Limit: Does not cover the psychological state of the mother, which also affects labour.

Gynaecological endocrinology

Classification of abnormal uterine bleeding

PALM-COEIN

Limit: A classification only. It does not give treatment or tell which cause is commonest at each age.

Infertility and contraception

Warning symptoms of serious complications on the combined pill

ACHES

Limit: It lists warning symptoms, not the full list of absolute contraindications such as smoking over 35.

Gynaecological oncology

Risk factors for endometrial cancer

Unopposed oestrogen

Limit: A grouping of risks, not a screening rule. Lynch syndrome is a separate genetic risk.

Postpartum haemorrhage and emergencies

Shoulder dystocia management

HELPERR

Limit: Does not include last-resort options such as the Zavanelli manoeuvre or fundal pressure warnings.

Complications of pregnancy

Risk factors for ectopic pregnancy

PIDDLE

Limit: Half of ectopic pregnancies occur with no known risk factor.

Hypertensive disorders

Components of HELLP syndrome

HELLP

Limit: Gives the components but not the diagnostic cut-offs for each laboratory value.

Labour and delivery

Components of the Bishop score

Don't Eat Pasta Straight, Chew

Limit: Lists the five components only, not the points allotted to each.

Gynaecological endocrinology

Stages of the menstrual cycle in the uterus

Menstrual, Proliferative, Secretory

Limit: Day numbers vary with cycle length; the luteal phase is the constant 14 days.

Infertility and contraception

Causes of infertility by category

Male, Ovulatory, Tubal, Uterine

Limit: No single cause is found in a sizeable group, called unexplained infertility.

Gynaecological oncology

Ovarian tumour markers

CA-125, AFP, hCG, LDH, inhibin

Limit: Markers support but do not replace histology, and several are raised in benign conditions.

Antenatal care

Naegele's rule for expected date of delivery

Add seven, minus three

Limit: Assumes a regular 28-day cycle; ultrasound dating overrides it when there is a mismatch.

Neonatology

Components of the APGAR score

APGAR

Limit: The score should not delay resuscitation; initiate neonatal resuscitation based on clinical assessment, not on waiting for the 1-minute score.

Congenital heart disease

Cyanotic congenital heart diseases beginning with T

The 5 Ts

Limit: Leaves out other cyanotic lesions such as Ebstein's anomaly and pulmonary atresia.

Growth and development

Gross motor sequence

Hold, Roll, Sit, Crawl, Stand, Walk

Limit: Ages are approximate averages; it does not cover fine motor or language.

Growth and development

Copying shapes by age

Circle 3, Cross 4, Square 5

Limit: Does not include the triangle (5 years) or diamond (7 years).

Neonatology

Causes of neonatal jaundice by day of onset

Day 1 Haemolysis, Day 2-7 Physiological, After week 2 Obstructive

Limit: Overlaps exist; sepsis and G6PD deficiency can present at any time.

Neonatology

Common organisms in early onset neonatal sepsis

GEL

Limit: Does not cover late-onset or hospital-acquired organisms such as Klebsiella and Staphylococcus.

Neonatology

Causes of respiratory distress in a term newborn

TAPP

Limit: Does not include congenital anomalies such as diaphragmatic hernia or heart disease.

Nutrition and malnutrition

Fat-soluble vitamins

ADEK

Limit: Lists the group only, not deficiency features.

Nutrition and malnutrition

Phases of severe acute malnutrition care

Stabilise, Rehabilitate, Follow-up

Limit: Omits the WHO transition phase between stabilisation and rehabilitation; no doses or timings.

Immunisation

Live attenuated vaccines

BMOR

Limit: Not exhaustive: varicella and yellow fever are also live.

Immunisation

Toxoid vaccines

DT

Limit: Pertussis is a separate component of DPT (killed whole-cell in India), not part of this pair.

Paediatric infections

Classical numbered childhood rashes

First to Sixth

Limit: The fourth disease is historical and not widely accepted.

Paediatric infections

Complications of measles

POEM

Limit: Not exhaustive; lists common complications only.

Paediatric infections

Bacterial meningitis organisms beyond the neonatal period

SNH

Limit: Vaccination has changed local prevalence of Hib and pneumococcus.

Genetic and metabolic disorders

Autosomal trisomies

Down 21, Edwards 18, Patau 13

Limit: Does not cover clinical features.

Genetic and metabolic disorders

Trinucleotide repeat disorders

Fragile X is CGG, Huntington CAG, Friedreich GAA, Myotonic CTG

Limit: Does not describe anticipation or inheritance patterns.

Systemic paediatrics

Acyanotic left-to-right shunts

VSD ASD PDA

Limit: Atrioventricular septal defect is another shunt not captured.

Systemic paediatrics

Clinical features of Kawasaki disease

CRASH and BURN

Limit: Incomplete forms exist; echocardiography is still needed.

Paediatric emergencies

Systematic assessment of a sick child

ABCDE

Limit: Does not give drug doses or algorithms.

Systemic paediatrics

Features of nephrotic syndrome

Protein Out, Albumin Down, Oedema Up, Lipids Up

Limit: Does not distinguish minimal change disease from other causes.

Ossicles in order

Order of the ossicles from the eardrum inwards

MIS

Limit: Gives order only, not the muscles or joints.

Facial nerve in the temporal bone

Branches of the facial nerve inside the temporal bone

GSC

Limit: Omits the branch to the sensory auricular area and the order along the canal.

Ototoxic drugs

Common causes of drug-induced sensorineural hearing loss

ACLS

Limit: Not a complete list; other drugs such as quinine can also harm hearing.

Gradenigo's syndrome

The three features of petrous apicitis

PDD

Limit: Says nothing about management.

Complications of cholesteatoma

Serious complications of unsafe ear disease

FLAME

Limit: Leaves out mastoiditis and lateral sinus thrombosis.

Referred otalgia

Cranial nerves that carry referred ear pain

V-VII-IX-X

Limit: Does not name the individual branches.

Syndromes with deafness

Syndromes associated with sensorineural hearing loss

PAUW

Limit: Not exhaustive; Treacher Collins and others also exist.

Meniere's disease

Features of Meniere's disease

VHTF

Limit: Does not give the treatment or exclusion criteria.

Samter's triad

Triad of aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease

NAA

Limit: Does not explain the mechanism.

Kiesselbach's plexus

Arteries forming Little's area

SALG

Limit: Ignores the posterior bleeding site of Woodruff's plexus.

Middle meatus drainage

Sinuses draining into the middle meatus

FAM

Limit: Omits the nasolacrimal duct, which opens into the inferior meatus.

Plummer-Vinson syndrome

Features of Plummer-Vinson syndrome

WAD

Limit: Does not give the treatment: iron and dilatation.

Laryngeal nerve supply

Motor supply of the larynx

RLN rules except CT

Limit: Does not cover sensory supply.

Salivary tumour rule

Typical distribution of salivary gland tumours

Rule of 80

Limit: Approximate figures; the submandibular gland has a higher malignant share.

Structures in the parotid

Parotid contents from superficial to deep

NVA

Limit: Does not list lymph nodes or the glandular lobes.

Caloric test

Direction of caloric nystagmus fast phase

COWS

Limit: Names the fast phase only; the slow phase is the reverse.

Rinne test

Normal Rinne result

AC > BC

Limit: Does not replace the Weber test or audiometry.

Extraocular muscle nerve supply

Nerve supply of the extraocular muscles

LR6 SO4, all the rest 3

Limit: Does not give actions of the muscles or the pupillary fibres.

Layers of the cornea

Layers of the cornea from front to back

EBSDE

Limit: Dua's pre-Descemet layer is described by some authors but is left out of the standard five layers.

Aqueous humour pathway

Route of aqueous from production to exit

Cilia Pupil Trabecula Schlemm Veins

Limit: Omits the minor uveoscleral outflow pathway.

Vitamin A deficiency staging

Sequence of xerophthalmia signs (WHO classification)

XN, X1A, X1B, X2, X3A, X3B, XS, XF

Limit: Staging labels only; dosing schedules must be checked in current guidelines.

Trachoma grading

WHO simplified grading of trachoma

FISTO

Limit: Does not cover the older MacCallan staging.

Trachoma control strategy

WHO strategy for trachoma elimination

SAFE

Limit: Does not give drug doses or thresholds for mass treatment.

Horner syndrome

Features of Horner syndrome

PAM

Limit: Misses enophthalmos and heterochromia in congenital cases.

Glaucoma drug classes

Drug classes lowering intraocular pressure

PBACH

Limit: Pilocarpine and Rho-kinase inhibitors are not included.

Open-angle glaucoma disc changes

Optic disc signs in glaucoma

CUP

Limit: Does not include bayoneting, nasalisation of vessels or disc haemorrhage.

Causes of anterior uveitis

Systemic associations of anterior uveitis

HLA-B27 PARE

Limit: Misses sarcoidosis, juvenile arthritis and Behcet's, which are not in this group.

Diabetic retinopathy

Fundus findings in diabetic retinopathy

MHENN

Limit: Does not give the formal ETDRS or international severity scale.

Retinitis pigmentosa

Triad of retinitis pigmentosa

BAN

Limit: Does not include the ERG finding or associated syndromes.

Argyll Robertson pupil

Features of the Argyll Robertson pupil

MIA

Limit: Diabetes and other causes can mimic it; it does not cover the Adie pupil.

Papilloedema versus papillitis

Key differences in optic disc swelling

Papilloedema Preserved, Papillitis Poor

Limit: Long-standing papilloedema eventually reduces vision.

Trauma

Features of acute compartment syndrome

The 5 Ps

Limit: Pulselessness and paralysis are late signs, and pulses are often present in compartment syndrome. Pain on passive stretch is the earliest reliable sign.

Paediatric orthopaedics

Components of congenital talipes equinovarus (clubfoot)

CAVE

Limit: Lists the deformities only; it does not give severity scoring or management details.

Fractures and dislocations

Contents to check when assessing a limb after fracture

NAVS

Limit: A checklist for assessment, not a list of specific injuries or nerve-by-nerve findings.

Fractures and dislocations

Salter-Harris physeal fracture types

SALTR

Limit: Gives the five types only; it does not cover prognosis in detail or the extra types in other classifications.

Peripheral nerve injuries

Hand deformity by nerve injured

Radial drops, Ulnar claws, Median points

Limit: Ignores sensory loss and the level of injury, which changes the picture (for example, high versus low ulnar lesions).

Peripheral nerve injuries

Grades of nerve injury (Seddon)

N-A-N

Limit: Does not give the Sunderland sub-grades or timing of recovery.

Peripheral nerve injuries

Median nerve supply to the intrinsic hand muscles

LOAF

Limit: Covers only the median-supplied intrinsic hand muscles, not forearm muscles or sensation.

Bone and joint infections

Phemister's triad in tuberculous arthritis

POM

Limit: The triad suggests but does not prove tuberculosis; confirm with biopsy and culture.

Bone tumours

Radiological signs of malignant bone tumours

Sun, Triangle, Onion

Limit: Signs are not specific, because Codman's triangle and sunburst also occur in infection and other tumours.

Bone tumours

Bone tumours by location in the long bone

E-M-D

Limit: Lists the classic site only; many tumours overlap zones, such as Ewing sarcoma also in the metadiaphysis.

Paediatric orthopaedics

Screening manoeuvres for developmental dysplasia of the hip

Ortolani Returns, Barlow Bumps out

Limit: Becomes unreliable after about 3 months, when the hip stiffens and limited abduction becomes the sign.

Paediatric orthopaedics

Hip problems of children by age

Baby DDH, Child Perthes, Teen SCFE

Limit: Septic arthritis and transient synovitis occur at any age and are not covered.

Fractures and dislocations

Eponymous forearm fracture-dislocations

Monteggia Ulna, Galeazzi Radius

Limit: Only pairs each name with the broken bone and dislocated joint; it gives no management.

Spine

Cauda equina syndrome red flags

SABLE

Limit: Lists features only; reflex changes and pain patterns vary, and early disease may lack some of them.

Spine

Nerve root signs of the two commonest disc prolapses

L5 big toe, S1 ankle jerk

Limit: Ignores L4 (knee jerk) and higher roots.

Metabolic bone disease

Biochemistry of metabolic bone disease

Porosis normal, Malacia low, Paget ALP high

Limit: Simplified; hyperparathyroidism and renal bone disease have their own patterns.

Fractures and dislocations

Complications of fractures that appear early

FACT

Limit: Omits late complications such as malunion, non-union, avascular necrosis and infection.

Fractures and dislocations

Complications of fractures that appear late

MAIN

Limit: Misses stiffness, myositis ossificans, complex regional pain syndrome and post-traumatic arthritis.

Peripheral nerve injuries

Brachial plexus birth and traction injuries

Erb upper, Klumpke lower

Limit: Does not cover total plexus palsy or the prognosis for recovery.

Papulosquamous disorders

The 5 Ps of lichen planus

5 Ps

Limit: Does not include Wickham's striae, nail or mucosal changes.

Papulosquamous disorders

Clinical signs elicited in psoriasis

Scale, Spot, Trauma

Limit: Does not cover nail pitting or joint disease.

Papulosquamous disorders

Common triggers that worsen psoriasis

STRESS

Limit: Not an exhaustive list, and not a cause of the disease.

Vesiculobullous disorders

Which antigen is attacked in the main blistering diseases

Pemphigus is Desmosome, Pemphigoid is Basement

Limit: Omits dermatitis herpetiformis and acquired epidermolysis bullosa.

Vesiculobullous disorders

Direct immunofluorescence patterns

Fish net, Line, Grain

Limit: Linear IgA disease also shows a linear pattern, but with IgA.

Leprosy

Cardinal signs used for diagnosis

SNB

Limit: Does not give classification or treatment.

Leprosy

Drugs for multibacillary leprosy

RCD

Limit: Does not give duration or doses, which follow current national guidelines.

Leprosy

Distinguishing type 1 and type 2 lepra reactions

1 is Delayed, 2 is Immune complex

Limit: Does not cover Lucio phenomenon.

Leprosy

Peripheral nerves commonly palpable in leprosy

Elbow, Neck, Wrist, Knee

Limit: Does not list the posterior tibial or median nerves.

Sexually transmitted infections

Painful versus painless genital ulcers

Painless Syphilis, Painful Chancroid and Herpes

Limit: LGV and granuloma inguinale are less typically painful and are not covered.

Sexually transmitted infections

Features of congenital syphilis

TKD

Limit: Not the early signs such as snuffles and rash.

Sexually transmitted infections

Order of syphilis stages

Chancre, Condylomata, Gumma

Limit: Does not cover latent phase or neurosyphilis.

Pigmentary disorders

Autoimmune conditions associated with vitiligo

TAPA

Limit: Does not show how common each association is.

Drug reactions

Common culprit drugs in SJS/TEN

ALCAN

Limit: Other drugs, including phenytoin, also cause SJS/TEN.

Drug reactions

Features of DRESS syndrome

DRESS

Limit: Does not name the culprit drugs, such as anticonvulsants and allopurinol.

Skin tumours

Features suggesting melanoma

ABCDE

Limit: Nodular melanoma may be symmetrical and small; the rule is not diagnostic.

Infections: bacterial, viral, fungal, parasitic

Clinical clues in scabies

BITE

Limit: Does not cover crusted scabies.

Infections: bacterial, viral, fungal, parasitic

Fluorescence under Wood's lamp

Coral Erythrasma, Green Microsporum

Limit: Trichophyton tonsurans does not fluoresce, and only some pigmented disorders are shown.

Mood disorders

Symptoms of a major depressive episode

SIG E CAPS

Limit: A memory aid for symptoms only. Diagnostic thresholds differ between DSM and ICD, so learn the criteria you are examined on.

Mood disorders

Features of a manic episode

DIG FAST

Limit: Covers symptoms only; duration and severity thresholds differ between hypomania and mania.

Psychopharmacology

Key adverse effects of lithium

Lithium's four T's

Limit: Leaves out weight gain, leucocytosis and toxicity features such as coarse tremor and ataxia.

Organic mental disorders

Causes of delirium

I WATCH DEATH

Limit: A checklist of causes only; it does not rank them by frequency.

Substance use

Screening for alcohol dependence

CAGE

Limit: A screening tool, not a diagnosis; it does not measure quantity or current intoxication.

Psychopharmacology

Order of onset of antipsychotic extrapyramidal effects

DAPT

Limit: Timings are approximate and overlap; they are guides rather than rules.

Psychotic disorders

Personality disorder clusters

A-B-C: Odd, Dramatic, Anxious

Limit: ICD uses different names and no clusters; the groups are descriptive only.

Psychotic disorders

Negative symptoms of schizophrenia

Five A's

Limit: Does not cover positive or cognitive symptoms.

Psychotic disorders

Bleuler's fundamental symptoms of schizophrenia

Four A's

Limit: A historical framework; modern criteria do not use it.

Mood disorders

Stages of grief (Kubler-Ross)

DABDA

Limit: People do not pass through stages in a fixed order, and some skip stages.

Child and adolescent psychiatry

Freud's psychosexual stages

Old Animals Prefer Large Grass

Limit: Psychoanalytic theory; age ranges are approximate and not empirically proven.

Anxiety and related disorders

Mature defence mechanisms

SASH

Limit: Anticipation is also mature but is not in this acronym.

Child and adolescent psychiatry

Piaget's stages of cognitive development

Some Parents Can Fail

Limit: Ages are approximate and children vary.

Psychopharmacology

Major toxicity of tricyclic antidepressant overdose

Three C's

Limit: Does not include anticholinergic features such as dry mouth and urinary retention.

Psychotic disorders

Domains of the mental status examination

ASEPTIC

Limit: A structure to record, not to interpret; it says nothing about diagnosis.

Organic mental disorders

Potentially reversible causes of dementia

DEMENTIA

Limit: Lists mimics and contributors, not degenerative dementias.

Psychopharmacology

SSRI discontinuation syndrome

FINISH

Limit: Not a measure of severity, and symptoms may mimic relapse.

Psychopharmacology

Features of neuroleptic malignant syndrome

FEVER

Limit: Does not separate NMS from serotonin syndrome; look for clonus and onset speed.

Airway management

Predicting a difficult laryngoscopy and intubation

LEMON

Limit: Predicts difficulty but has modest sensitivity; unexpected difficult airways still occur.

Airway management

Predictors of difficult bag-mask ventilation

MOANS

Limit: Covers mask ventilation only, not intubation difficulty (use LEMON for that).

Basic resuscitation

Reversible causes of cardiac arrest

4 Hs and 4 Ts

Limit: A prompt list, not a treatment algorithm; omits dosing and the shockable rhythm pathway.

Preoperative assessment

Screening for obstructive sleep apnoea before surgery

STOP-BANG

Limit: A screening tool only; the diagnosis needs a sleep study.

Complications and emergencies

Causes of sudden deterioration in an intubated, ventilated patient

DOPE

Limit: Does not list other causes such as bronchospasm, embolism or anaphylaxis.

Airway management

Checklist of equipment to prepare before intubation

SOAP ME

Limit: A preparation list; it does not cover the intubation technique itself.

Local and regional anaesthesia

Separating amide from ester local anaesthetics by name

Amides have two i's

Limit: A spelling cue that works for most agents but should be checked against the generic name.

Muscle relaxants

Adverse effects of succinylcholine

HAMPS

Limit: Omits prolonged block with cholinesterase deficiency and anaphylaxis.

Airway management

Maintaining oxygenation during intubation attempts

NO DESAT

Limit: Supports oxygenation only; it does not replace pre-oxygenation or a rescue plan.

Airway management

Steps of rapid sequence induction and intubation

The 7 Ps

Limit: A sequence summary; the evidence for cricoid pressure is debated.

Airway management

Efficiency of Mapleson circuits during spontaneous ventilation

After Dinner, Eat Fruit, Before Coffee

Limit: Applies to spontaneous ventilation only; for controlled ventilation the order is D, E, F then B, C, then A.

Intravenous and inhalational agents

Stages of general anaesthesia described by Guedel

Always Do Surgery Meticulously

Limit: Classically seen with ether; modern agents and IV induction pass through the stages rapidly.

Complications and emergencies

Systematic approach to a critically ill or deteriorating patient

ABCDE

Limit: In cardiac arrest the compressions-first order (CAB) is used instead.

Local and regional anaesthesia

Layers crossed by a midline spinal needle

Some Students Ignore Lectures, Even During Assessment

Limit: Midline approach only; a paramedian approach bypasses the supraspinous and interspinous ligaments.

Preoperative assessment

Focused pre-operative history

SAMPLE

Limit: A brief history; family history of anaesthetic problems and examination still need separate attention.

Basic resuscitation

First steps in basic life support

DR ABC

Limit: Current adult guidelines start compressions first for cardiac arrest, so use it as an assessment order only.

Preoperative assessment

Pre-operative fasting times by intake type

2-4-6-8

Limit: Not applied in emergencies or in patients with delayed gastric emptying.

Preoperative assessment

ASA physical status classes I to VI

Happy Mice Seldom Chase Marching Beetles

Limit: A broad risk grade that does not account for the type of surgery.

Chest radiography

A systematic approach to reading a chest X-ray

ABCDE

Limit: Several versions of the ABCDE approach exist with slightly different letters. The principle, a fixed order every time, matters more than the exact words.

Imaging modalities and physics

Pairing MRI contrast and CT contrast

Gado for MRI, Iodine for CT

Limit: Does not cover contrast-free techniques or other agents such as barium and microbubbles.

Radiation safety and radiobiology

Three ways to reduce radiation exposure

TDS

Limit: Does not give dose limits or the justification principle.

Radiation safety and radiobiology

SI units of radiation

Gray absorbs, Sievert sees the effect, Becquerel counts

Limit: Does not cover the older units (rad, rem, curie) or conversion factors.

Chest and cardiac imaging

Signs of heart failure on chest X-ray

ABCDE

Limit: Not every film shows all five; early failure may show only vascular redistribution.

Abdominal and GI imaging

Plain film signs of pneumoperitoneum

Free air: Rigler and Football

Limit: Small leaks can be missed; CT is more sensitive.

Abdominal and GI imaging

Features of small bowel obstruction versus large bowel on plain film

Small is central, large is peripheral

Limit: Appearances overlap in a dilated, fluid-filled bowel.

Neuroimaging

Differences between extradural and subdural haematoma on CT

Extra is a lens, Sub is a crescent

Limit: Mixed or chronic haematomas may not follow the classic shape.

Neuroimaging

CT density of blood over time

Bright, Grey, Black

Limit: Rebleeding and anaemia alter the density.

Musculoskeletal imaging

Radiographic features of osteoarthritis

LOSS

Limit: Does not list the features of rheumatoid arthritis.

Musculoskeletal imaging

Periosteal reactions in bone tumours

Onion Ewing, Sunburst Osteo

Limit: Other lesions can also show an aggressive periosteal reaction.

Musculoskeletal imaging

Radiographic signs of rheumatoid arthritis

Marginal erosions, Osteopenia, Symmetry

Limit: Early disease may show only soft tissue swelling.

Radiotherapy and nuclear medicine basics

Common nuclear medicine isotopes and their use

Tc scans, I treats, F stages

Limit: Many other isotopes exist.

Imaging modalities and physics

Choosing between CT and MRI

CT for Calcium, Clots and Cortex; MRI for Marrow and Muscle

Limit: Clinical context and availability change the best choice.

Abdominal and GI imaging

Classic radiological signs in the GI tract and what they mean

Bean, Beak, Target

Limit: Covers only three of many signs.

Tooth development and dental anatomy

Permanent dental formula per quadrant

I Can Play Music (2-1-2-3)

Limit: Gives counts only, not eruption times or tooth shapes.

Tooth development and dental anatomy

Eruption order of deciduous teeth

ABDCE

Limit: Gives order only, not ages (about 6 to 30 months).

Tooth development and dental anatomy

Stages of tooth germ development

Bright Children Brush And Maintain

Limit: Does not give the cell types or timing of each stage.

Oral histology and anatomy

Hardness of dental tissues in descending order

Every Dentist Counts

Limit: Pulp is soft tissue and is not ranked.

Oral histology and anatomy

Components of the periodontium

GPCA: Good Plans Cure Aches

Limit: Lists structures only, not their function or blood supply.

Oral histology and anatomy

Muscles of mastication, all supplied by the mandibular nerve

My Tooth Likes Meat

Limit: Does not give individual actions.

Oral histology and anatomy

Which pterygoid opens and which closes the jaw

Lateral Lowers, Medial Mashes

Limit: Masseter and temporalis also close the jaw and are not covered.

Oral histology and anatomy

Extracranial branches of the facial nerve

Two Zebras Bit My Cousin

Limit: Does not cover branches inside the temporal bone.

Oral histology and anatomy

Trigeminal divisions and skull foramina

Standing Room Only

Limit: Does not say which branches carry which sensation.

Oral histology and anatomy

Major salivary ducts and where they open

Parotid Stensen, Submandibular Wharton

Limit: The sublingual gland has several small ducts not covered here.

Caries, pulp and periodontal disease

Four factors needed for dental caries

Two Bad Sweet Treats

Limit: Does not include saliva or socioeconomic modifiers.

Caries, pulp and periodontal disease

Drugs causing gingival overgrowth

PCN

Limit: Hereditary and leukaemia-related overgrowth are not covered.

Oral medicine and oral cancer

Common oral potentially malignant disorders

Lions Eat Oats Leaves

Limit: Does not rank their malignant potential; erythroplakia is the highest.

Oral medicine and oral cancer

Triad of Behcet disease

OGE

Limit: Misses arthritis, skin lesions and the pathergy test.

Oral and maxillofacial surgery and facial fractures

What each Le Fort fracture separates

Palate, Maxilla, Face

Limit: Real fractures are often mixed or asymmetrical.

Oral and maxillofacial surgery and facial fractures

Timing rule for cleft lip repair

Rule of Tens

Limit: Modern practice often repairs at about 3 months, and the palate is repaired later.

Oral and maxillofacial surgery and facial fractures

Spaces involved in Ludwig angina

SSS

Limit: Does not cover the lateral pharyngeal or other deep neck spaces.

Orthodontics and paediatric dentistry

Angle's classification of malocclusion

Normal, Distal, Mesial

Limit: Based on the first molar only and ignores skeletal and vertical relations.