FMGE Anatomy Syllabus

Anatomy syllabus — full chapter and topic list

Expand any chapter to see its topics and sub-topics. This is the whole examinable outline for Anatomy in FMGE, not a summary of it.

1. 1

   General Anatomy

   4 topics

   • Introduction to Anatomy
     • Definition
     • Subdivisions
     • Scope
   • Anatomical terms
     • Positional terms
     • Directional terms
     • Regional terms
   • Body cavities and their contents
   • Anatomical planes and sections
2. 2

   Histology

   5 topics

   • Introduction to Histology
     • Basic tissue types (epithelial, connective, muscular, nervous)
   • Structure and Function of Epithelial Tissue
   • Structure and Function of Connective Tissue
     • Types of fibers
     • Types of cells
     • Ground substance
   • Muscle Tissue
     • Skeletal Muscles
     • Smooth Muscles
     • Cardiac Muscles
   • Nervous Tissue
     • Neurons
     • Neuroglia
     • Nerve Impulses
3. 3

   Osteology

   5 topics

   • Structure and functions of bones
   • Classification of bones
     • Long bones
     • Short bones
     • Flat bones
     • Irregular bones
   • Gross anatomy of typical long bone
   • Development and ossification of bones
   • Joints
     • Classification
     • Types of movements
4. 4

   Arthrology

   3 topics

   • Classification of joints
     • Fibrous
     • Cartilaginous
     • Synovial
   • Structure and function of synovial joints
   • Types of synovial joints
     • Ball-and-socket
     • Hinge
     • Pivot
     • Saddle
     • Condyloid
     • Gliding
5. 5

   Myology

   4 topics

   • Muscles of the human body
     • Classification and naming conventions
   • Gross anatomy of skeletal muscles
     • Origin, insertion, action, and innervation
   • Muscle architecture
     • Fascicles
     • Tendons
     • Aponeuroses
   • Microscopic anatomy of skeletal muscle
     • Sarcomere structure
     • Sliding filament theory
6. 6

   Neuroanatomy

   5 topics

   • Central nervous system (CNS)
     • Brain and spinal cord
   • Gross anatomy of the brain
     • Cerebrum
     • Cerebellum
     • Brainstem
     • Diencephalon
   • Ventricles of the brain and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) circulation
   • Spinal cord
     • Structure
     • Tracts
     • Spinal nerves
   • Peripheral nervous system (PNS)
     • Cranial nerves
     • Spinal nerves
7. 7

   Surface Anatomy

   2 topics

   • Landmarks and surface features of the human body
   • Clinical significance of surface anatomy: Landmarks for palpation, auscultation, and surgical procedures
8. 8

   Embryology

   3 topics

   • Development of the human embryo
     • Fertilization
     • Implantation
     • Embryonic development stages
   • Formation of germ layers
     • Ectoderm
     • Mesoderm
     • Endoderm
   • Development of major organ systems
     • Nervous system
     • Cardiovascular system
     • Musculoskeletal system
9. 9

   Radiological Anatomy

   2 topics

   • Basics of medical imaging techniques
     • X-ray
     • CT scan
     • MRI
     • Ultrasound
   • Interpretation of radiological images
     • Normal anatomical structures
     • Pathological findings

Anatomy flashcards for FMGE

24 of 52 cards from the Anatomy deck — real questions with worked answers.

1. What are the three principal anatomical planes, and how is each oriented?

   Sagittal (vertical, divides body into right and left; midsagittal/median splits into equal halves), Coronal/Frontal (vertical, divides into anterior and posterior), and Transverse/Horizontal/Axial (divides into superior and inferior).

2. In standard anatomical terminology, what do the terms 'proximal' vs 'distal' and 'superficial' vs 'deep' describe?

   Proximal = nearer to the trunk/origin of a limb; distal = farther from it. Superficial = nearer to the body surface; deep = farther from the surface.

3. What are the four primary (basic) tissue types of the body?

   Epithelial tissue, connective tissue, muscular tissue, and nervous tissue.

4. Name the three types of muscle tissue and state which are striated and which are voluntary.

   Skeletal (striated, voluntary), cardiac (striated, involuntary), and smooth (non-striated, involuntary).

5. What is the difference between the axial and appendicular skeleton?

   Axial skeleton = skull, vertebral column, ribs and sternum (80 bones). Appendicular skeleton = bones of the limbs and their girdles (pectoral and pelvic), 126 bones. Total adult skeleton = 206 bones.

6. Classify joints by their structural (tissue) type and give an example of each.

   Fibrous (sutures of skull), cartilaginous (pubic symphysis), and synovial (knee/shoulder).

7. Name the six types of synovial joints with an example of each.

   Plane/gliding (intercarpal), hinge (elbow), pivot (atlanto-axial), condyloid/ellipsoid (wrist/radiocarpal), saddle (1st carpometacarpal of thumb), and ball-and-socket (hip, shoulder).

8. What are the layers of the skin and the two main layers of superficial fascia?

   Skin = epidermis (avascular, stratified squamous epithelium) and dermis (vascular connective tissue). Superficial fascia (subcutaneous tissue) has a superficial fatty layer (Camper's) and a deep membranous layer (Scarpa's) in the abdomen.

9. State the general principle of lymphatic drainage following the venous direction, and which duct drains most of the body.

   Lymph generally drains toward regional nodes then to the venous system. The thoracic duct drains the entire body below the diaphragm plus the left upper quadrant (left head/neck, left arm, left thorax) into the left venous angle; the right lymphatic duct drains the right upper quadrant.

10. From which spinal roots is the brachial plexus formed, and what are its five components in order from proximal to distal?

    Ventral rami of C5–T1. Components in order: Roots, Trunks, Divisions, Cords, Branches (mnemonic: Real Texans Drink Cold Beer).

11. Name the three trunks of the brachial plexus and the roots forming each.

    Upper trunk (C5–C6), Middle trunk (C7), and Lower trunk (C8–T1).

12. Name the five terminal branches of the brachial plexus and their cord of origin.

    Musculocutaneous (lateral cord), Median (lateral + medial cords), Axillary and Radial (posterior cord), and Ulnar (medial cord).

13. What are the boundaries (walls) of the axilla?

    Apex (cervico-axillary canal), base (skin/axillary fascia), anterior wall (pectoralis major and minor), posterior wall (subscapularis, teres major, latissimus dorsi), medial wall (serratus anterior over ribs), and lateral wall (intertubercular groove of humerus).

14. What are the contents of the cubital fossa from lateral to medial?

    Biceps Tendon, Brachial Artery, Median Nerve (mnemonic: TAN, lateral to medial = Tendon, Artery, Nerve). The radial nerve lies just under brachioradialis at the lateral border.

15. List the potential fascial spaces of the palm of the hand.

    The thenar space and the midpalmar space, separated by the oblique midpalmar (intermediate palmar) septum; potential infections can spread within these spaces.

16. What are the small muscles of the hand and their nerve supply?

    Thenar muscles (abductor pollicis brevis, flexor pollicis brevis, opponens pollicis) and lumbricals 1&2 → median nerve. Hypothenar muscles, interossei, adductor pollicis, and lumbricals 3&4 → ulnar nerve.

17. From which roots does the lumbosacral plexus arise, and what are its two main subdivisions?

    Lumbar plexus (L1–L4) and sacral plexus (L4–S4). Together they supply the lower limb, pelvis and perineum.

18. Name the major nerves of the lumbar plexus and the largest nerve of the sacral plexus.

    Lumbar plexus: iliohypogastric, ilioinguinal, genitofemoral, lateral femoral cutaneous, femoral (L2–L4), and obturator (L2–L4). Sacral plexus: sciatic nerve (L4–S3), the largest nerve in the body.

19. What are the boundaries and contents of the femoral triangle?

    Boundaries: superiorly the inguinal ligament, laterally sartorius, medially adductor longus. Contents (lateral to medial): Femoral Nerve, Artery, Vein, Empty space (canal/lymphatics) — mnemonic NAVEL.

20. What are the boundaries and contents of the popliteal fossa?

    Diamond-shaped: superolaterally biceps femoris, superomedially semimembranosus/semitendinosus, inferiorly the two heads of gastrocnemius. Contents (deep to superficial): popliteal artery, popliteal vein, tibial nerve, and common fibular nerve laterally.

21. Name the arches of the foot and the main structures maintaining them.

    Medial longitudinal arch (highest), lateral longitudinal arch, and transverse arch. Maintained by bone shape, plantar ligaments (long/short plantar, spring/plantar calcaneonavicular ligament), plantar aponeurosis, and intrinsic muscles plus tibialis posterior/peroneus longus.

22. What are the two principal venous systems of the lower limb and where do the great and small saphenous veins drain?

    Superficial and deep systems connected by perforators. Great (long) saphenous vein runs anterior to the medial malleolus and drains into the femoral vein at the saphenous opening; small (short) saphenous vein runs behind the lateral malleolus and drains into the popliteal vein.

23. Which superficial veins are the preferred sites for venepuncture in the upper limb?

    The veins of the cubital fossa — median cubital vein (most common), cephalic vein (lateral), and basilic vein (medial). The median cubital vein is preferred as it is superficial and relatively fixed.

24. How is the mediastinum subdivided?

    By the transverse thoracic (sternal angle) plane into superior and inferior mediastinum. The inferior is further divided into anterior (in front of pericardium), middle (the pericardium and heart), and posterior (behind pericardium) mediastinum.

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