Family Medicine Curriculum | MDster You are offline Back online! [ MDster home ](/ "MDster home") Specialities [ Anesthesiology ](https://mdster.com/speciality/anesthesiology) [ Emergency Medicine ](https://mdster.com/speciality/emergency-medicine) [ Family Medicine ](https://mdster.com/speciality/family-medicine) [ Internal Medicine ](https://mdster.com/speciality/internal-medicine) [ Obstetrics & Gynecology ](https://mdster.com/speciality/obstetrics-gynecology) [ Pediatrics ](https://mdster.com/speciality/pediatrics) [ Psychiatry ](https://mdster.com/speciality/psychiatry) [ Features ](https://mdster.com/features) [ SOE Examiner NEW ](https://mdster.com/soe-examiner) [ Pricing ](https://mdster.com/pricing) [ Blog ](https://mdster.com/blog) Menu Specialities [ Anesthesiology ](https://mdster.com/speciality/anesthesiology) [ Emergency Medicine ](https://mdster.com/speciality/emergency-medicine) [ Family Medicine ](https://mdster.com/speciality/family-medicine) [ Internal Medicine ](https://mdster.com/speciality/internal-medicine) [ Obstetrics & Gynecology ](https://mdster.com/speciality/obstetrics-gynecology) [ Pediatrics ](https://mdster.com/speciality/pediatrics) [ Psychiatry ](https://mdster.com/speciality/psychiatry) [ Features ](https://mdster.com/features) [ SOE Examiner NEW ](https://mdster.com/soe-examiner) [ Pricing ](https://mdster.com/pricing) [ Blog ](https://mdster.com/blog) [ Login ](https://mdster.com/auth/login) 1. [ Home ](https://mdster.com) 2. [ Curriculum ](https://mdster.com/curriculum) 3. Family Medicine Family Medicine curriculum ============================ Conquer Family Medicine Boards with Calm Confidence Core Advanced Family Medicine Core Pathway ### Acute Care And Diagnosis 102 questions #### Cardiovascular and hematologic acute presentations 66 Recognition of life-threatening patterns and safe outpatient pathways. - Acute urinary symptoms and pelvic complaints - Acute pelvic pain and vaginal bleeding 3 - Acute scrotal pain recognition 3 - Dysuria and UTI syndromes 3 - STI-related urethritis/cervicitis and PID recognition 3 - Chest pain, palpitations, syncope: outpatient evaluation and triage - Chest pain risk stratification 3 - Palpitations evaluation 3 - Peripheral edema and DVT/PE risk recognition 3 - Syncope/presyncope evaluation 4 - Gastrointestinal, hepatobiliary, and genitourinary acute presentations - Abdominal pain: approach and red flags 3 - Acid-related disorders and dyspepsia acute flares 4 - Acute nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation 3 - GI bleeding recognition and initial outpatient actions 2 - Hypertension-related urgent presentations - Hypertensive urgency vs emergency recognition 3 - Medication-induced hypertension and secondary causes (acute clues) 4 - Patient counseling and follow-up 3 - Severe headache with hypertension 3 - Neurologic, musculoskeletal, dermatologic/infectious acute presentations - Acute rash, cellulitis, and allergic reactions 4 - Back pain and acute MSK injury evaluation 4 - Fever and systemic infectious presentations 4 - Headache, dizziness/vertigo, and acute neurologic symptoms 4 #### Overview & Approach to Undifferentiated Presentations 12 Category description: Evaluation and initial management of new or undifferentiated presentations in... - Triage, red flags, and safe outpatient evaluation - Antimicrobial stewardship in acute care 3 - Focused differential diagnosis and testing strategy 4 - Initial severity assessment and disposition 2 - Safety-netting and follow-up planning 3 #### Respiratory and ENT acute presentations 24 Common urgent complaints in ambulatory/urgent care. - Pneumonia, dyspnea, and acute asthma/COPD exacerbation (ambulatory recognition) - Acute asthma exacerbation outpatient management 3 - Community-acquired pneumonia evaluation 3 - COPD exacerbation basics 3 - Dyspnea differential and immediate steps 3 - Upper respiratory infections and sore throat syndromes - Allergic rhinitis and acute wheeze triggers 2 - Cough and acute bronchitis 3 - Pharyngitis evaluation 3 - Sinusitis and otitis syndromes 4 ### Behavioral Health Care 117 questions #### Common mood and anxiety disorders 34 Core board content for primary care mental health management. - Trauma-related disorders (PTSD) - Crisis and safeguarding overlap 2 - First-line therapies and referral 3 - Recognition and screening 2 - Trauma-informed primary care practices 2 - Anxiety disorders (GAD, panic, phobias) and somatic symptom overlap - Benzodiazepine risk and deprescribing approach 3 - Diagnosis and medical rule-outs 3 - First-line treatments 4 - Somatic symptom and health anxiety basics 2 - Depression (including perinatal and late-life) - Diagnosis and differential 4 - Safety: suicidality and high-risk features 3 - Treatment planning 3 - Treatment-resistant depression basics 3 #### Overview & Primary Care Behavioral Health 16 Category description: Assessment and management of common mental health conditions in primary care,... - Behavioral health assessment, diagnosis, and safety in primary care - Collaborative care and stepped care models 4 - Medical mimics and medication-induced symptoms 5 - Risk assessment (suicide, violence, self-neglect) 4 - Structured psychiatric history and mental status exam 3 #### Serious mental illness recognition and sleep/cognitive disorders 43 Bipolar/psychosis recognition; insomnia; dementia and delirium basics. - Psychosis and thought disorders (primary care interface) - Antipsychotic adverse effects awareness 4 - Care coordination and social supports 2 - Differential diagnosis of psychosis 3 - Risk assessment and disposition 2 - Bipolar spectrum recognition and safe prescribing - Antidepressant safety in suspected bipolar disorder 2 - Initial management and referral 2 - Perinatal bipolar risks (board-level) 3 - Recognition and differential 3 - Cognitive impairment and dementia syndromes (primary care role) - Assessment and differential diagnosis 3 - Delirium recognition and urgent workup triggers 3 - Management principles 3 - Screening/brief cognitive tools concepts 2 - Sleep disorders in primary care - Insomnia assessment and management 3 - Parasomnias and narcolepsy awareness (board-level) 2 - Restless legs and circadian rhythm disorders 3 - Sleep apnea recognition and referral 3 #### Substance use disorders (SUD) and safe prescribing 24 Screening, brief intervention, and core medication principles. - Alcohol, tobacco/nicotine, and drug use screening and brief intervention - Brief interventions and referral pathways 3 - Comorbid mental health and chronic pain overlap 2 - Screening and diagnosis concepts 4 - Withdrawal recognition basics 3 - Safe psychotropic prescribing in primary care - Antidepressants and monitoring 3 - Anxiolytics and sedatives risk management 3 - Drug interactions and special populations 4 - Stimulants and ADHD meds basics (adult/peds interface) 2 ### Chronic Care Management 209 questions #### Cardiac, neurologic, and musculoskeletal chronic care 40 High-yield chronic conditions and complications frequently seen/tested. - Chronic pain, osteoarthritis, and common MSK conditions - Chronic pain assessment and multimodal management 4 - Fibromyalgia and centralized pain syndromes 4 - Low back pain and radiculopathy (chronic) 3 - Osteoarthritis and degenerative joint disease 4 - Headache and migraine (chronic management) - Acute migraine treatment options 3 - Migraine diagnosis and triggers 4 - Preventive migraine therapies 2 - Tension-type headache and chronic daily headache 3 - Heart failure and chronic coronary syndromes (primary care co-management) - Arrhythmia chronic care (AF basics) 4 - Guideline-directed medical therapy awareness 2 - Heart failure phenotypes and monitoring 3 - Stable angina and secondary prevention 4 #### Cardiometabolic chronic disease 40 High-frequency board content: HTN, diabetes, lipids, ASCVD prevention. - Dyslipidemia and ASCVD prevention - ASCVD in primary care follow-up 3 - Hypertriglyceridemia management 3 - Risk-based statin therapy and monitoring 3 - Statin intolerance and alternatives (board-level) 2 - Hypertension: diagnosis, targets, and medication management - Diagnosis and monitoring 3 - Lifestyle and first-line pharmacotherapy 3 - Monitoring and complications 3 - Resistant hypertension approach 4 - Type 2 diabetes: comprehensive management - Complication screening and prevention 4 - Diagnosis and glycemic targets 5 - Pharmacotherapy overview 3 - Special situations 4 #### Other common chronic conditions and survivorship 53 Frequently co-managed chronic problems in primary care. - Anemia and common hematologic chronic issues - Anticoagulation monitoring and interactions (core awareness) 4 - Macrocytic anemia workup 2 - Microcytic anemia workup 2 - Thrombocytopenia/leukopenia chronic patterns (board-level) 4 - Cancer survivorship and chronic infection management (primary care role) - Cancer survivorship care planning 4 - Chronic disease palliative integration 3 - Chronic viral hepatitis and HIV basics (board-level) 3 - Latent TB and chronic infection follow-up 4 - Chronic dermatologic diseases and skin cancer surveillance - Acne/rosacea and common chronic derm 3 - Atopic dermatitis and chronic urticaria 3 - Psoriasis recognition and comorbidity management 3 - Skin cancer risk management 4 - GERD, IBS, and common chronic GI conditions - Chronic constipation and pelvic floor dysfunction basics 3 - Chronic liver disease/NAFLD basics 3 - GERD management and alarm features 5 - IBS and functional GI disorders 3 #### Overview & Chronic Care Model 9 Category description: Ongoing management of common long-term conditions and their complications, inc... - Foundations of chronic disease management and self-management support - Care coordination and rehabilitation/community supports 2 - Chronic care model and longitudinal monitoring 2 - Medication titration and monitoring safety 3 - Multimorbidity and competing priorities 2 #### Pulmonary, renal, and endocrine chronic disease 67 Asthma/COPD, CKD, thyroid, obesity and metabolic health. - Asthma: stepwise management and monitoring - Controller therapy framework 4 - Diagnosis and control assessment 4 - Exacerbation prevention 3 - Special populations 3 - Chronic kidney disease (CKD): staging and risk reduction - Advanced CKD care planning 3 - CKD identification and staging 4 - Complications of CKD 3 - Renal-protective strategies 3 - COPD: diagnosis, staging, and chronic management - Comorbidities and monitoring 3 - Diagnosis and severity assessment 3 - Non-pharmacologic management 4 - Pharmacotherapy framework 3 - Obesity and metabolic health (longitudinal) - Assessment and complications 3 - Lifestyle and behavioral interventions 3 - Pharmacotherapy and procedural options (board-level awareness) 2 - Weight-neutral or weight-beneficial chronic disease meds 3 - Thyroid disease and common endocrine disorders - Adrenal and pituitary “don’t miss” patterns (board-level) 4 - Hyperthyroidism recognition and management basics 3 - Hypothyroidism management 5 - Thyroid nodules and goiter workup (primary care role) 4 ### Clinical Skills And Procedures 167 questions #### Common investigations and interpretation 37 Foundational interpretation commonly tested in primary care boards. - ECG basics for primary care recognition and triage - Common ambulatory findings 4 - Life-threatening ECG patterns 2 - Next steps in outpatient setting 4 - Systematic ECG approach 3 - Point-of-care tests and common labs (primary care interpretation) - CBC/CMP and inflammatory markers 4 - Imaging report interpretation (common outpatient) 4 - POCT in clinic/urgent care 3 - Urinalysis and urine culture basics 3 - Spirometry, peak flow, and basic pulmonary function trends - Clinical integration 3 - Common pitfalls 3 - Indications and test quality 2 - Pattern recognition 2 #### Core office procedures: skin, wound, and infection management 36 Procedures expected of independent family physicians in many settings. - Dermatologic procedures (common) - Cryotherapy and destructive therapies 2 - Nail and minor skin procedures 4 - Procedural dermatology safety 4 - Skin biopsy (shave/punch) and pathology follow-up 3 - Incision and drainage (I&D) of abscesses and soft tissue infections - Antibiotic stewardship 2 - Complications and escalation 3 - Indications and contraindications 3 - Technique 3 - Wound care, suturing, and laceration management - Anesthesia and closure techniques 3 - Assessment and preparation 3 - Complications and documentation 2 - Infection prevention and aftercare 4 #### Documentation, coding-adjacent skills, and clinical communication 12 Record quality that supports safety, continuity, and medico-legal defensibility. - High-quality documentation and clinical communication - Clinical note structure and content essentials 4 - Coding-adjacent documentation (board-relevant) 3 - Documentation for procedures 3 - Handoffs, referrals, and consult questions 2 #### ENT/eye procedures and urgent office skills 24 Common clinic procedures and red-flag recognition. - Ear procedures and acute ENT care - Cerumen removal 3 - Epistaxis initial management 3 - Foreign body management basics 3 - Otitis externa/media basics and follow-up 3 - Eye exam basics and common office procedures - Conjunctivitis differentiation (basic) 3 - Eye foreign body basics 2 - Fluorescein staining and corneal abrasion care 4 - Visual acuity, pupils, EOM, and red flags 3 #### Musculoskeletal procedures and immobilization 24 Core office-based MSK care skills. - Joint and soft-tissue injections/aspirations (core) - Indications and contraindications 3 - Medication selection and complications 2 - Technique and anatomy safety 4 - When to refer 2 - Splinting, casting basics, and acute injury stabilization - Casting complications counseling 3 - Common splints and indications 4 - Neurovascular exam and compartment syndrome awareness 3 - Return-to-activity and rehab basics 3 #### Overview & Clinical Method 12 Category description: Core bedside and office-based skills required for independent primary care, in... - Core clinical method: history, exam, synthesis, and follow-through - Focused history and red-flag elicitation 3 - Physical exam technique and reliability 4 - Plan, patient instructions, and follow-up systems 2 - Problem representation and differential diagnosis 3 #### Women’s health and urogenital office skills (core) 22 Core primary care procedural skills including screening and common evaluations. - Male GU and anorectal office skills - Anorectal exam and common procedures (basic) 3 - Prostate and LUTS evaluation basics 2 - STI specimen collection and counseling 2 - Testicular/scrotal exam red flags 2 - Pelvic exam, cervical cancer screening specimen collection, and vaginitis testing - Common findings and immediate management 3 - Follow-up systems 3 - Indications, consent, and chaperones 3 - Specimen collection 4 ### Emergent And Urgent Care 99 questions #### Cardiovascular emergencies 86 Outpatient/urgent care recognition and immediate management priorities. - Arrhythmias and hemodynamic instability - Atrial fibrillation with RVR approach (initial) 2 - Hyperkalemia ECG emergency recognition 2 - Unstable tachycardia/bradycardia recognition 3 - Ventricular tachyarrhythmias and QT prolongation risk 3 - Behavioral emergencies and urgent safeguarding - Acute agitation, psychosis, and violence risk 3 - Acute intoxication and withdrawal 4 - Suicidality and acute safety assessment 3 - Urgent safeguarding scenarios 3 - Chest pain and suspected acute coronary syndrome (ACS) - Immediate assessment and ECG interpretation 2 - Initial management actions 3 - Non-ACS dangerous causes 3 - Post-event follow-up essentials (after stabilization) 2 - Neurologic emergencies - Altered mental status and acute delirium 3 - Seizure and status epilepticus (initial steps) 3 - Severe headache red flags 3 - Stroke/TIA recognition and time-sensitive actions 2 - Respiratory and allergic emergencies - Acute respiratory distress differential 3 - Anaphylaxis and angioedema 2 - Severe asthma/COPD exacerbation 3 - Upper airway obstruction emergencies 4 - Sepsis, metabolic, and toxicologic emergencies - Common poisonings and overdose recognition 5 - Diabetic emergencies: hypoglycemia, DKA/HHS recognition 3 - Electrolyte emergencies 4 - Sepsis recognition and immediate management 4 - Trauma, bleeding, and GI emergencies - Acute GI bleeding recognition 2 - Head injury and concussion red flags 4 - Severe abdominal pain and surgical emergencies red flags 5 - Trauma initial management (clinic/urgent care) 3 #### Overview & Stabilization Approach 13 Category description: Recognition, triage, stabilisation, and disposition of time-sensitive presenta... - Initial approach: ABCDE, triage, and disposition decisions - Communication and transfer coordination 4 - Primary survey and immediate interventions 3 - Recognizing shock and instability 3 - Time-critical diagnoses and “don’t miss” lists 3 ### Foundations Of Care 155 questions #### Diagnostic reasoning and test interpretation 24 Probability, test selection, and diagnostic safety. - Cognitive bias mitigation and diagnostic error prevention - Common cognitive biases 3 - Communication errors and handoffs 4 - Debiasing and metacognition strategies 2 - Diagnostic safety-netting and follow-up systems 2 - Diagnostic test characteristics and Bayesian reasoning - Diagnostic pathways and staged testing 3 - Likelihood ratios and post-test probability 3 - Reference ranges and clinical context 3 - Sensitivity/specificity, predictive values, prevalence effects 4 #### Evidence-Based Medicine (EBM) and guideline-based care 38 Using evidence and guidelines safely in primary care contexts. - Biostatistics and clinical epidemiology for boards - Clinical prediction tools basics 3 - Core measures and distributions 3 - Effect measures 3 - Screening program metrics 3 - Clinical questions, evidence sources, and guideline appraisal - De-implementation and avoiding low-value care 2 - Formulating questions (PICO/PEO) and choosing evidence types 5 - Guideline interpretation and applicability 3 - Shared decision-making using evidence 2 - Critical appraisal of research designs and bias - Bias, confounding, and validity threats 3 - Interpreting results and clinical importance 4 - Study design essentials 4 - Systematic reviews and meta-analysis basics 3 #### Health systems, ethics, medicolegal, and equity 56 Policy, law, ethics, and social context as tested in boards and essential for safe practice. - Health policy and practice financing basics (board-relevant) - Access, coverage, and primary care delivery models 4 - Public health interface 3 - Regulatory and compliance basics (practice-level) 5 - Resource stewardship 4 - Ethics, consent, decision-making capacity, and confidentiality - Capacity and surrogate decision-making 3 - Confidentiality and information sharing 4 - Core bioethics and professional duties 3 - Informed consent and refusal 3 - Health equity, social determinants of health (SDOH), and culturally safe care - Caring for marginalized and high-risk populations 5 - Health literacy and communication equity 3 - SDOH screening and interventions 4 - Structural inequities and bias in medicine 3 - Medicolegal essentials and documentation risk reduction - Malpractice elements and common primary care risk areas 3 - Mandatory reporting and safeguarding interface 4 - Medical certificates and forms 3 - Risk communication and documentation of uncertainty 2 #### Overview & Curriculum Anchors 11 Speciality: Family Medicine. Pathway description: Foundational curriculum for residents, early-caree... - Scope of Family Medicine, clinical governance, and safe practice - Clinical documentation standards 4 - Clinical governance foundations 2 - Clinical uncertainty and safety-netting principles 2 - Comprehensiveness, continuity, first-contact access, coordination 3 #### Patient safety, quality improvement, and risk management 26 Safety science and QI methods commonly tested in boards and required for safe practice. - Patient safety science and human factors - High-reliability behaviors 3 - Infection prevention and occupational exposure basics 4 - Medication safety 2 - Systems thinking and the Swiss-cheese model 3 - Quality improvement (QI) methods and measurement - Data and measurement for improvement 4 - Incident reporting and root cause analysis (RCA) 4 - Practice guideline implementation 3 - QI frameworks 3 ### Life-Course Medicine 97 questions #### Adult reproductive and sexual health (core) 25 Primary care reproductive health knowledge expected on boards. - Contraception and preconception basics - Contraceptive method selection and contraindications 3 - Infertility basics (primary care recognition) 3 - Preconception optimization 4 - Sexual dysfunction and counseling 3 - Pregnancy and postpartum essentials (primary care interface) - Common pregnancy complications recognition 3 - Early pregnancy evaluation 3 - Perinatal safety and referrals 4 - Postpartum care essentials 2 #### Menopause, aging, geriatrics, and end-of-life fundamentals 34 Core geriatric concepts and end-of-life basics expected on boards. - End-of-life fundamentals in family medicine - Advance care planning and surrogate decision-making 3 - Ethical issues at end-of-life 2 - Palliative symptom basics 4 - Serious illness communication basics 2 - Geriatrics fundamentals: frailty, falls, and polypharmacy - Cognitive screening and delirium risk 3 - Falls evaluation and prevention 2 - Frailty and functional assessment 4 - Polypharmacy and deprescribing basics 3 - Menopause and midlife care - Bone and cardiometabolic risk midlife 3 - Menopause diagnosis and symptom management 3 - Perimenopausal abnormal bleeding red flags 2 - Sexual health and mood in midlife 3 #### Overview & Transitions Across the Lifespan 13 Category description: Comprehensive care across ages and key transitions: neonates/children (growth,... - Life-course approach: transitions, risk, and continuity - Age-specific epidemiology and presentation differences 3 - Family context and caregiver roles across ages 3 - Transition-of-care planning 3 - Vaccines, screening, and preventive priorities by age 4 #### Pediatrics and adolescent care (core) 25 Growth/development, common pediatric conditions, and adolescent medicine basics. - Adolescent medicine: confidentiality, risk behaviors, and sexual health - Confidentiality and consent basics 2 - Risk behavior screening and counseling 3 - Sexual and reproductive health counseling 3 - Sports and school issues 4 - Growth, development, and common pediatric presentations - Asthma/wheeze and chronic pediatric conditions basics 4 - Common pediatric infections and acute care 4 - Growth assessment and developmental surveillance 3 - Pediatric dosing and safety 2 ### Person-Centred Care 108 questions #### Behaviour change counseling and motivational interviewing (MI) 14 Skills for prevention and chronic disease management. - Motivational interviewing and brief interventions - Assessing readiness and confidence 3 - Behaviour change in complex contexts 5 - Brief intervention frameworks 3 - MI spirit and core skills (OARS) 3 #### Cultural humility, trauma-informed practice, and family systems 37 Relationship-based care across diverse backgrounds and life contexts. - Family systems and caregiver engagement - Caregiver assessment and support 3 - Confidentiality within families 2 - Conflict and difficult dynamics 4 - Family systems concepts in primary care 4 - Culturally safe care and humility - Care for LGBTQ+ patients (person-centred lens) 4 - Cultural humility and bias mitigation in encounters 3 - Cultural practices affecting care 2 - Working across language and health-system barriers 2 - Trauma-informed care (TIC) - Intimate partner violence (IPV) approach 3 - Recognizing trauma and its health impacts 3 - TIC principles and practical skills 2 - Trauma in specific populations 5 #### Overview & Therapeutic Relationship 11 Category description: Consultation and relationship-based care skills: agenda setting, shared decisi... - Person-centred consultation: structure, agenda, and relationship - Building rapport and therapeutic alliance 2 - Clinical reasoning with person-centredness 3 - Closing: summary, teach-back, and follow-up planning 3 - Opening, agenda setting, and prioritization 3 #### Safeguarding, ethics, and professional boundaries 24 Protection of vulnerable patients and maintaining ethical practice. - Professional boundaries, ethics, and challenging encounters - Boundary setting and dual relationships 4 - Confidentiality edge cases in practice 4 - Conflict resolution and complaints 2 - Managing requests for inappropriate care 3 - Safeguarding across the lifespan - Child protection basics 2 - Elder abuse and vulnerable adult protection 3 - Ethical dilemmas in safeguarding 3 - Human trafficking recognition and response 3 #### Shared decision-making, consent, and risk communication 22 Core consent and decision quality skills for boards and practice. - Health literacy and communication accessibility - Accessible communication 3 - Interpreter and bilingual communication best practices 2 - Recognizing and addressing low health literacy 3 - Written instructions and after-visit summaries 3 - Informed consent and refusal in outpatient care - Elements of consent and documentation 4 - Refusal and nonadherence management 2 - Risk communication fundamentals 2 - Shared decision-making for preference-sensitive care 3 ### Preventive Care 117 questions #### Immunizations (children, adolescents, adults) 13 Scheduling, contraindications, catch-up, and special populations. - Vaccine schedules, catch-up, and special situations - Catch-up and uncertain immunization status 3 - Contraindications, precautions, and adverse events 3 - Routine vaccine schedules across ages 3 - Vaccination for special populations 4 #### Life-stage anticipatory guidance and special prevention contexts 52 Prevention tailored to age, sex, and risk exposure. - Occupational, travel, and environmental prevention - Environmental health and climate-related counseling 3 - Injury prevention and safety counseling (all ages) 3 - Occupational health and workplace risk counseling 4 - Travel medicine basics (board-relevant) 3 - Older adult prevention and geriatric screening essentials - Bone health and fracture prevention 2 - Cancer screening de-escalation and time-to-benefit 4 - Falls, frailty, and function screening 3 - Vaccines and infection prevention in older adults 2 - Pediatric and adolescent prevention essentials - Adolescent confidentiality and risk prevention 3 - Safety counseling 4 - School and sports participation guidance 4 - Well-child surveillance and developmental screening 5 - Reproductive and perinatal prevention - Postpartum preventive care 3 - Preconception counseling basics 3 - Pregnancy preventive interventions 4 - Sexual health prevention 2 #### Lifestyle counseling and health promotion 14 Behavior change interventions frequently tested in boards. - Tobacco/nicotine, alcohol, nutrition, physical activity, and sleep counseling - Alcohol and other substance risk counseling 3 - Nutrition and weight management counseling 4 - Physical activity and sleep prescriptions 3 - Tobacco/nicotine cessation interventions 4 #### Overview & Prevention Planning 10 Category description: Health promotion and risk reduction across the life course, including immunisa... - Individualized preventive care planning across the life course - Contraindications and harms of prevention 2 - Prevention documentation and follow-through systems 2 - Prevention in multimorbidity and frailty 3 - Risk stratification and shared preventive priorities 3 #### Screening and early detection 28 Evidence-informed screening; board-relevant indications and harms. - Cancer screening: indications, intervals, and follow-up pathways - Breast, cervical, colorectal screening essentials 4 - Lung and prostate screening (shared decision focus) 3 - Screening for chronic infections and STIs 4 - Skin cancer and other screening considerations 2 - Cardiometabolic screening and prevention - ASCVD risk assessment and counseling 3 - Blood pressure, lipids, diabetes, obesity screening 4 - Lifestyle first-line interventions 5 - Preventive pharmacotherapy 3 ### Systems-Based Practice 67 questions #### Care coordination, referrals, and transitions 57 Managing interfaces between settings and specialties. - Practice operations and professionalism (board-relevant) - Clinician wellbeing and safe practice sustainability 2 - Controlled substance stewardship and clinic policies 3 - Documentation and regulatory basics 3 - Scheduling, access, and continuity design 2 - Community resources and social care integration - Care for complex and vulnerable patients 5 - Population management for high-risk cohorts 2 - Public health collaboration 4 - Social needs screening and referrals 4 - Informatics, EHR, and telehealth - Clinical data stewardship and security 3 - EHR documentation and order safety 3 - Population health tools and registries 3 - Telehealth clinical governance 4 - Quality, safety, and improvement at practice level - Equity in quality improvement 2 - Implementing QI in primary care settings 3 - Infection prevention and outbreak response basics in clinics 3 - Patient safety event response 2 - Referral management and consultation quality - Co-management and shared-care agreements 3 - High-quality referral question and supporting data 2 - Tracking and closing the loop 2 - Transitions between outpatient, ED, hospital, and long-term care 2 #### Overview & Practice as a System 10 Category description: Care coordination and practice operations: referrals, transitions of care, int... - Systems-based practice fundamentals for family medicine - Care coordination and continuity as safety tools 2 - Interprofessional teamwork and role clarity 3 - Regulatory, privacy, and documentation basics 2 - Transitions of care and medication reconciliation 3 Family Medicine Advanced Pathway ### Advanced Clinical Reasoning 88 questions #### Advanced interpretation of common diagnostic tests 37 Board-relevant ECG/PFT/imaging/biomarker nuance. - Imaging reports and biomarkers in diagnostic uncertainty - Approach to abnormal LFTs and CK in complex cases 4 - Diagnostic stewardship and cascades 2 - Inflammatory and cardiac biomarkers (contextual use) 3 - Interpreting incidental findings and follow-up 3 - Pulmonary function test trends and complex spirometry patterns - Occupational/environmental lung disease clues 4 - Restrictive/mixed patterns and next steps 2 - Trend interpretation over time 3 - Vocal cord dysfunction and dysfunctional breathing 2 - Advanced ECG pattern recognition (primary care/urgent care interface) - Arrhythmia differentiation 3 - Clinical integration and disposition 3 - Conduction disease and syncope risk 4 - Ischemia equivalents and high-risk patterns 4 #### Complex symptom presentations (multisystem) 41 High-yield advanced differentials for boards and extended-scope practice. - Dyspnea, edema, and exercise intolerance with nondiagnostic initial tests - Advanced test selection and interpretation 3 - Broadened differential and phenotype recognition 4 - Imaging report nuance and incidental findings 4 - Outpatient management while investigating 3 - Fever of unknown origin, weight loss, fatigue, and night sweats - Initial and second-line investigations 3 - Red flags and urgent exclusions 5 - Safety-netting and re-evaluation cadence 4 - Structured differential by system/category 4 - Syncope, dizziness, and episodic neurologic symptoms (advanced approach) - Differentiating central vs peripheral vestibular disease 3 - Documentation and safety-netting 2 - Risk stratification beyond basics 3 - Seizure mimics and episodic events 3 #### Overview & Advanced Reasoning Under Uncertainty 10 Speciality: Family Medicine. Pathway description: Advanced curriculum for clinicians seeking extende... - Advanced diagnostic strategy: thresholds, time, and calibration - Calibration and reflective practice 2 - Cognitive bias mitigation in complex cases 4 - Diagnostic safety and follow-up architecture 2 - Probabilistic reasoning and threshold approach 2 ### Behavioral And Addiction Medicine 69 questions #### Addiction medicine: evidence-based treatments and relapse prevention 33 Board-relevant medication treatments and counseling frameworks. - Tobacco/nicotine and stimulant use disorders (advanced counseling) - Benzodiazepine dependence and tapering 3 - Cannabis use disorder counseling 3 - Stimulant use disorder management (supportive) 3 - Tobacco cessation escalation strategies 3 - Alcohol use disorder (AUD) and withdrawal risk management awareness - Brief interventions and relapse prevention 3 - Medication options awareness 2 - Screening and diagnosis 3 - Withdrawal recognition and disposition 2 - Opioid use disorder (OUD): treatment pathways (within scope) - Co-occurring pain and OUD 2 - Diagnosis and harm reduction 4 - Medication treatment overview 2 - Relapse prevention and long-term care 3 #### Chronic pain-behavioral overlap and clinician wellbeing 12 High-risk prescribing interface with trauma, mood, and function. - Integrated chronic pain management in complex behavioral contexts - Boundary setting and managing challenging requests 2 - Clinician wellbeing and moral injury prevention 3 - Functional restoration and behavioral interventions 4 - Opioid stewardship in high-risk populations 3 #### Overview & Advanced Integrated Behavioral/Addiction Care 13 Category description: Advanced management of severe and persistent mental illness in primary care in... - Advanced integrated behavioral health and crisis systems - Clinician and staff safety in challenging encounters 3 - Crisis intervention and safety planning 4 - Measurement-based and stepped care in complex behavioral illness 4 - Trauma-informed care in complex patients 2 #### Severe and persistent mental illness (SPMI) interface management 11 Primary care management of medical comorbidities and medication risks in SPMI. - Schizophrenia spectrum and bipolar disorder: medical comorbidity management - Capacity and risk scenarios 3 - Integrated care planning and adherence support 3 - Metabolic monitoring for antipsychotics and mood stabilizers 3 - Substance comorbidity and relapse risk 2 ### Child And Adolescent Care 74 questions #### Complex chronic pediatric disease and transitions 23 Asthma complexity, diabetes transitions, and other chronic pediatric needs. - Pediatric diabetes (type 1) and transition to adult care (awareness) - Psychosocial aspects and eating disorder risk 3 - Recognition, monitoring, and DKA risk counseling 3 - Technology and regimen complexity 3 - Transition planning 3 - Severe asthma, recurrent wheeze, and complex atopy - Frequent exacerbations and safety planning 3 - Phenotyping and comorbidity management 3 - Referral and multidisciplinary care 2 - Stepwise therapy escalation awareness 3 #### Developmental delay, neurodevelopmental conditions, and school interface 37 Neurodiversity-informed care and functional assessment. - Adolescent mental health, risk behaviors, and consent/confidentiality challenges - Consent, confidentiality, and complex family dynamics 3 - Eating disorders recognition and initial management 2 - Substance use, vaping, and harm reduction counseling 4 - Suicide risk, self-harm, and crisis response 2 - Developmental delay evaluation and early intervention pathways - ADHD and behavior concerns (advanced considerations) 3 - Autism and neurodiversity-informed care 3 - Global delay vs specific learning issues 3 - School supports and documentation 3 - Safeguarding and child protection processes - Adolescent safeguarding issues 4 - Mandatory reporting and documentation 3 - Recognition of abuse/neglect and sentinel injuries 4 - Working with multidisciplinary teams 3 #### Overview & Complex Pediatrics/Adolescent Medicine 14 Category description: Complex paediatrics and adolescent medicine beyond routine primary care, inclu... - Advanced pediatric assessment, triage, and family-centered care - Documentation and safeguarding integration 3 - Family-centered communication and shared decisions 3 - Medication dosing and safety in complex pediatrics 3 - Recognizing sick child and escalation thresholds 5 ### Complex Chronic Disease 88 questions #### Advanced diabetes and cardiometabolic complexity 13 Complex insulin regimens, complications, and comorbid conditions. - Complex diabetes management (insulin, complications, comorbidity-based selection) - Basal-bolus concepts and titration safety 4 - Complication management 3 - Diabetes with CKD/HF/ASCVD 3 - Technology and care coordination 3 #### Cancer survivorship and chronic infections in complex patients 12 Long-term monitoring, late effects, and coordination. - Complex survivorship and long-term effects management - Chronic viral infections (HIV/hepatitis) with multimorbidity 3 - Coordination with oncology and palliative care 3 - Immunocompromised patient preventive care 3 - Late effects and surveillance 3 #### Chronic cardiovascular, pulmonary, and renal complexity 32 Complex HF/COPD/CKD and anticoagulation decisions. - Severe COPD/asthma overlap and oxygen/ventilation considerations - Comorbid anxiety/depression and breathlessness 2 - Frequent exacerbator phenotype management 2 - Noninvasive ventilation and referral triggers (board-level) 3 - Oxygen therapy and hypercapnia risk awareness 3 - Advanced HF/CKD co-management - Advanced care planning in end-stage organ disease 2 - Anemia of CKD and MBD awareness 4 - Guideline therapy optimization constraints 2 - Volume management and renal function trade-offs 2 - Anticoagulation in complex patients (AF/VTE) - DOAC vs warfarin selection 2 - Monitoring and complication response 4 - Risk/benefit balancing 2 - Special populations 4 #### Chronic pain, opioids, and complex behavioral overlap 12 High-stakes monitoring and integrated care. - High-risk chronic pain management and opioid stewardship - Complex comorbidity (SUD, depression, PTSD) 3 - Non-opioid and nonpharmacologic pain strategies 3 - Opioid tapering and transitions 2 - Risk assessment and monitoring 4 #### Overview & Multimorbidity Management 9 Category description: Management of multimorbidity, disability, and high-treatment-burden patients,... - Multimorbidity, treatment burden, and goals-of-care aligned care plans - Care plan design and team-based supports 2 - Frailty risk stratification and disability assessment basics 3 - Prioritization frameworks and shared goal setting 2 - Transitions and high-risk periods 2 #### Polypharmacy, deprescribing, and high-risk meds monitoring 10 High-frequency board content for safety. - Deprescribing and medication safety in complex patients - Adherence and regimen simplification 2 - Deprescribing methods 2 - Monitoring high-risk medication classes 4 - Structured medication review 2 ### Emergency And Critical Care 58 questions #### Airway, breathing, and severe respiratory failure 47 Advanced early management of respiratory compromise. - Neurologic deterioration and critical neurologic emergencies - Meningitis/encephalitis recognition and early actions 3 - Raised ICP/brain herniation warning signs (board-level) 3 - Status epilepticus and refractory seizures (early steps) 2 - Stroke, ICH, and acute focal deficits escalation 2 - Severe asthma/COPD and respiratory distress escalation - Advanced bronchodilator and adjunct strategies (early) 3 - Anaphylaxis with airway involvement 3 - Noninvasive ventilation and oxygenation support (awareness) 3 - Recognizing impending respiratory failure 3 - Shock syndromes and sepsis - Anaphylactic and neurogenic shock awareness 3 - Post-resuscitation care basics 3 - Sepsis bundles (early management awareness) 2 - Shock classification and early targeted interventions 3 - Trauma and toxicology (advanced early management) - Environmental emergencies 4 - Head injury and anticoagulation risk 3 - Major trauma initial management in resource-variable settings 2 - Toxicology and toxidromes 5 #### Overview & High-Acuity Stabilization Leadership 11 Category description: Advanced stabilisation and early management of high-acuity conditions in urgen... - Crisis resource management (CRM) and resuscitation leadership - Post-stabilization monitoring and reassessment 2 - Structured resuscitation approaches 4 - Team leadership and communication under pressure 2 - Transport/transfer coordination 3 ### Geriatric And Palliative Care 60 questions #### Dementia syndromes, delirium, and neuropsychiatric symptoms 14 Advanced recognition, safety, and caregiver support. - Dementia differential and behavioral symptom management - Behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) 3 - Delirium recognition and management 4 - Differentiating dementia types (conceptual) 4 - Safety issues 3 #### Ethics, decision-making capacity, and end-of-life dilemmas 10 Complex decisions common in advanced practice and board scenarios. - Capacity, surrogate decisions, and ethical conflicts in geriatrics/palliative care - Advance directives and treatment limitation decisions 4 - Artificial nutrition/hydration and feeding issues 2 - Capacity assessment in fluctuating cognition 2 - Managing requests for potentially harmful care 2 #### Geriatric pharmacology, polypharmacy, and deprescribing 9 High-risk medication management in older adults. - Deprescribing and high-risk medication management (geriatrics) - Deprescribing methods and tapering 2 - High-risk classes in geriatrics 3 - Medication reconciliation across transitions 2 - Pain management in older adults 2 #### Overview & Advanced Geriatrics/Palliative Integration 12 Category description: Advanced care of older adults with frailty, dementia syndromes, falls, geriatr... - Frailty, function, and geriatric assessment - Comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) concepts 3 - Coordination across care settings 3 - Falls evaluation and multifactorial prevention (advanced) 3 - Frailty risk stratification and prognosis communication 3 #### Palliative symptom management and hospice integration 15 Symptom control, communication, and ethical care at end-of-life. - Palliative symptom management (advanced primary care) - Dyspnea, nausea, constipation, and delirium management 4 - Hospice referral and care coordination 3 - Pain management principles 3 - Serious illness communication 5 ### Leadership And Systems 66 questions #### Digital health/telehealth governance and informatics leadership 12 Leadership in safe digital practice and data stewardship. - Telehealth governance and safety - Clinical appropriateness and limitations 3 - Clinical decision support and EHR optimization 3 - Digital inequities and inclusion 3 - Privacy, security, and data governance 3 #### Education, assessment, and practice-based scholarship 14 Clinician-educator and quality scholarship skills. - Teaching, supervision, and assessment in clinical settings - Adult learning and bedside teaching frameworks 5 - Assessment and feedback 2 - Curriculum development and evaluation basics 3 - Practice-based scholarship and improvement dissemination 4 #### Organizational leadership, supervision, and resource stewardship 15 Practical leadership expected in advanced practice roles. - Team leadership, supervision, and performance management - Coaching and feedback skills 4 - Resource stewardship and budgeting basics 4 - Service redesign and access improvement 4 - Workforce design and role optimization 3 #### Overview & Advanced Clinical Governance 13 Category description: Advanced professional practice in clinical governance: quality improvement lea... - Clinical governance leadership and accountability - Ethical leadership and complex decisions 4 - Governance structures and responsibilities 3 - Leading change in clinical systems 2 - Medico-legal risk management (advanced) 4 #### Quality improvement and patient safety systems leadership 12 Leading QI and safety programs across teams/organizations. - QI program leadership and measurement strategy - High-reliability and resilience engineering concepts (board-level) 2 - Implementation strategies 3 - Safety event analysis and learning systems 3 - Selecting aims and measures 4 ### Maternal And Reproductive Care 103 questions #### Antenatal/postnatal complications, breastfeeding, and perinatal mental health 30 Common complications in primary care interface with referral pathways. - Breastfeeding medicine basics for primary care - Latch and milk supply support basics 3 - Mastitis and breast infections 2 - Nipple pain and candidiasis/dermatitis differential 3 - Weaning counseling and postpartum mood link 2 - Hypertensive disorders and gestational diabetes (recognition and follow-up) - Gestational diabetes screening/follow-up concepts 3 - Postpartum chronic disease transition 3 - Postpartum hemorrhage/infection red flags 2 - Preeclampsia warning signs and urgent actions 2 - Perinatal mental health screening and management - Care coordination 2 - Domestic violence and safety 3 - Screening and risk stratification 3 - Treatment options and medication considerations 2 #### Fertility, preconception, and early pregnancy assessment 25 Primary care optimization and time-sensitive triage. - First trimester bleeding and pelvic pain triage - Ectopic pregnancy risk recognition 2 - Hyperemesis gravidarum recognition 3 - Medication safety in early pregnancy 4 - Miscarriage and early pregnancy loss basics 3 - Preconception optimization and teratogen management - Counseling on substances and environmental exposures 5 - Genetic and infection risk screening basics 3 - Infertility evaluation and referral timing 3 - Medication review and chronic disease optimization 2 #### Gynecologic emergencies and abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB) workup 23 Time-sensitive conditions and common diagnostic pathways. - AUB across age groups and endometrial cancer risk - Initial evaluation and stabilization 3 - Initial medical management options awareness 2 - Structural vs non-structural causes (conceptual) 3 - When to sample endometrium and refer 3 - Pelvic pain emergencies and ovarian torsion/PID considerations - Bartholin abscess management awareness 2 - Documentation and follow-up 3 - STI management and partner care 3 - Torsion, ectopic, severe infection red flags 4 #### Overview & Expanded Reproductive Health Scope 13 Category description: Expanded reproductive health scope: complex contraception counselling, fertili... - Complex contraception counseling and risk management - Counseling: side effects, warning signs, and follow-up 4 - Emergency contraception and sexual assault considerations 2 - Medical eligibility and contraindications 3 - Method selection for complex patients 4 #### STI/HIV prevention and management in primary care 12 Risk-based prevention, PrEP/PEP awareness, and linkage to specialty care. - Comprehensive STI prevention and HIV PrEP/PEP awareness - Confidentiality and counseling 2 - HIV PrEP/PEP core concepts 3 - Screening by anatomy and risk 3 - Treatment principles and resistance awareness (board-level) 4 ### Population Health And Equity 43 questions #### Environmental, occupational, and structural determinants of health 13 Advanced integration of exposures and policy context. - Environmental and occupational health in population frameworks - Caring for marginalized populations at scale 4 - Common exposures and screening 2 - Counseling and mitigation strategies 4 - Structural determinants and inequities 3 #### Outbreak response, notifiable diseases, and public health partnership 9 Primary care role in outbreaks and reporting. - Outbreak preparedness and response in primary care - Clinic infection control surge planning 2 - Equity and access during outbreaks 3 - Notifiable disease recognition and reporting workflows 2 - Vaccine hesitancy and community engagement 2 #### Overview & Applied Population Health in Family Medicine 10 Category description: Applied population health analytics and prevention at scale: panel management,... - Population health fundamentals: panel management and equity lens - Community resource integration 2 - Equity-aware analytics 2 - Ethics and privacy in population management 3 - Panel definition and attribution; managing care gaps 3 #### Risk stratification, screening programs, and prevention at scale 11 Practical analytics and preventive program design. - Risk stratification tools and care management workflows - High-intensity care management design 2 - Measuring program success 2 - Preventive program implementation 3 - Risk models: inputs and limitations 4 ### Procedural And Diagnostic Skills 62 questions #### Advanced skin surgery and dermatologic procedures 50 Extended-scope skin procedures beyond basic cryotherapy/biopsy. - Excisional procedures and layered closure (office-based) - Hemostasis and closure techniques 2 - Lesion selection and margins (conceptual) 3 - Pathology follow-up and cancer management pathways 3 - Post-op care and complications 2 - Reproductive procedures and point-of-care diagnostics (advanced scope) - Early pregnancy point-of-care workflows (advanced primary care interface) 3 - Long-acting reversible contraception (LARC) procedural awareness 4 - POCUS applications within scope (if trained) 4 - Procedural sedation awareness and safety (where applicable) 4 - Advanced MSK procedures and immobilization - Advanced injection selection and technique refinement 3 - Aspiration and crystal/infection evaluation basics 2 - Casting and complex splinting principles 4 - Procedure complications and aftercare 3 - Advanced wound care and ulcer management - Complex wound complications and escalation 3 - Debridement concepts and dressings selection 3 - Diabetic foot care pathways 4 - Wound assessment and etiology differentiation 3 #### Overview & Advanced Procedural Practice 12 Category description: Advanced office- and community-based procedural practice, including expanded s... - Advanced procedural scope, consent, complications, and escalation - Asepsis, anticoagulation, and peri-procedure risk management 3 - Complication recognition and management frameworks 4 - Procedural documentation and billing-adjacent completeness (board-relevant) 2 - Scope of practice, credentialing, and informed consent 3 [ View Family Medicine ](https://mdster.com/speciality/family-medicine) [ View pricing ](https://mdster.com/pricing) [ MDster home ](/ "MDster home") Master your medical exams with evidence-based learning. [ Download on the App Store ](https://apps.apple.com/app/id6759168258) [ GET IT ON Google Play ](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mdster.app) Platform - [Home](https://mdster.com) - [Features](https://mdster.com/features) - [Pricing](https://mdster.com/pricing) - [About](https://mdster.com/about) Resources - [Blog](https://mdster.com/blog) - [Curriculum](https://mdster.com/curriculum) - [Dashboard](https://mdster.com/user/dashboard) Support - [Contact](https://mdster.com/contact) - [Legal & Policies](https://mdster.com/legal) - [Medical Reviewers](https://mdster.com/medical-reviewers) © 2026 MDster [ ](https://apps.apple.com/app/id6759168258) [ ](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mdster.app) [Terms](https://mdster.com/terms) [Privacy](https://mdster.com/privacy) [Editorial](https://mdster.com/editorial-policy) reCAPTCHA Protected by reCAPTCHA. Google [Privacy Policy](https://policies.google.com/privacy) and [Terms of Service](https://policies.google.com/terms) apply. Cookie Consent -------------- We use cookies to enhance your experience. By continuing to visit this site you agree to our use of cookies. [ Terms of Use ](https://mdster.com/terms) & [ Privacy Policy ](https://mdster.com/privacy) Accept