This document contains a 33 multiple choice questions anatomy and physiology exam for first year clinical officers. The questions cover topics like the female reproductive system, sperm transport, phases of the ovarian and menstrual cycles, hormones, the nervous system, blood groups, circulation, and other body systems. It tests knowledge of anatomy, physiology and clinical concepts.

1. Anatomy and physiology exams
First year clinical officer
1. What is the name given to a young woman’s fi rst menstrual period?
A. Menarche.
B. Menses.
C. Eclampsia
D. Amenorrhea.
2. After ejaculation, sperm travel through the structures of the female reproductive tract in which order?
A. Vagina, uterus, fallopian tube, ovary.
B. Cervix, vagina, uterus, fallopian tube.
C. Vagina, cervix, uterus, fallopian tube.
D. Cervix, urethra, uterus, fallopian tube.
3. Which of the following lists the structures of the female perineal area the correct order?
A. Clitoris, vaginal opening, urethral opening, anus
B. Clitoris, urethral opening, vaginal opening, anus
C. Urethral opening, clitoris, vagina, cervix
D. Anus, clitoris, urethral opening, vaginal opening.
4. What are the phases of the ovarian cycle?

2. A. Menarche, menstrual cycle, menopause
B. Luteal phase, menses and proliferative phase
C. Follicular phase and the luteal phase
D. Menses, proliferative phase and secretory phase
5. Which of the following is NOT a function of estrogens?
A. stimulating bone and muscle growth
B. maintain female secondary sex characteristics
C. maintaining the corpus luteum
D. initiating growth and repair of the endometrium
6. Which of the following produces male sex hormones?
A. The interstitial cells
B. Corpus luteum
C. Anterior lobe of the pituitary gland
D. Seminal vesicles
7. The menstrual cycle can be divided into 3 phases. Starting from day one of
menstruation, which of the following orders are the phases in?
A. Menstrual, secretory, proliferative

3. B. Proliferative, secretory, menstrual
C. Menstrual, proliferative, secretory
D. Secretory, proliferative, menstrual
8. What is the function of the epididymis?
A. Production of sperm.
B. Stores sperm and facilitates their maturation.
C. Stores sperm and produces seminal fl uid.
D. Carries semen out through the penis.
9. What is the “external urethral meatus” is another name for?
A. the shaft of the penis.
B. the opening of the tube at the end of the penis.
C. the prostate gland.
D. the scrotum.
10. What is a fertilised egg known as?
A. ovum
B. zygote
C. embryo

4. D. blastocyst
11. One of the following is NOT a secondary sex characteristic. Which one?
A. the adult male body shape
B. the thicker vocal cords of a male
C. pubic hair
D. the penis
12. What do “sympathetic” and “parasympathetic” divisions refer to?
A. the central nervous system
B. the efferent neurons of the peripheral nervous system
C. the autonomic nervous system
D. the somatic nervous system
13. The nervous system is divided into two divisions. What are they called?
A. somatic and autonomic
B. central and peripheral
C. afferent and efferent
D. sympathetic and parasympathetic
14. Which one of the following parts of the nervous system carries impulses

5. towards the brain?
A. peripheral nervous system
B. somatic nervous system
C. autonomic nervous system
D. parasympathetic division
15. Which of the following sends sensory information to the brain?
A. The afferent division of the peripheral nervous system.
B. The efferent division of the peripheral nervous system.
C. The somatic nervous system.
D. The autonomic nervous system.
What part of the nervous system prepares the body for action during extreme
situations?
A. the limbic system
B. the sympathetic division
C. the efferent system
D. the parasympathetic division
16. To what does the following description apply? “An unlearned and involuntary

6. but predictable motor response to a stimulus, that is rapid and does not involve
any processing by the brain.”
A. spinal refl ex
B. autonomic refl ex
C. cranial refl ex
D. learned refl ex
17. Which muscle(s) are NOT controlled by the autonomic nervous system?
A. cardiac muscle
B. the diaphragm
C. skeletal muscle
D. smooth muscle
18.What is the parasympathetic division of the autonomic nervous system responsible for?
A. rapid predictable motor responses without processing by the brain
B. conserving energy and maintaining body activities without conscious brain
control.
C. preparing the body for energetic activity without conscious brain control.

7. D. gathering sensory information from the viscera that is not interpreted by the
brain.
19. Which part of the nervous system prepares you for vigorous activity (“to fi ght
or fl ee”)?
A. sympathetic
B. parasympathetic
C. somatic
D. autonomic
20. Which statement about the vagus nerve is true?
A. it lies within the cerebrospinal tract
B. it arises from the pons
C. it has a sensory function in vision and olfaction
D. it carries parasympathetic motor impulses
21. What is the function of an efferent neuron?
A. transmit sensory information
B. transmit motor information

8. C. connect sensory and motor neurons
D. transmit both sensory and motor information
22. What is the function of the thalamus?
A. connects two cerebral hemispheres
B. connects cerebellum to midbrain
C. connects areas within same hemisphere
D. it is a relay centre
23. If a person suffers a stroke and damage occurs to the occipital lobe of the brain
which function is the most likely to be affected?
A. the ability to write
B. speech
C. hearing
D. vision
24. What is found between the arachnoid and pia mater?
A. adipose tissue
B. venous sinuses
C. choroid plexus

9. D. cerebrospinal fl uid
25.Which of the following lists all of the main sections of the brain?
A. cerebrum, brainstem, midbrain, medulla oblongata
B. cerebrum, cerebral cortex, cerebellum, mesencephalon
C. cerebellum, diencephalon, brainstem, cerebrum
D. cerebral cortex, midbrain, diencephalon, cerebellum
26. What part of the brain contains the midbrain, the pons and the medulla
oblongata?
A. the diencephalon
B. the cerebrum
C. the cerebellum
D. the brainstem
27. Which of the following substances CANNOT cross the blood-brain barrier?
A. metabolic wastes, toxins, K +
B. O 2 , CO 2 and H 2 O
C. fats, fatty acids, fat soluble substances
D. alcohol, nicotine, anaesthetics

10. 28. What are the three meninges and two named “spaces” that surround the brain,
in order from superfi cial to deep (outermost to innermost)?
A. pia, arachnoid, sub-arachnoid, dura, septa
B. sub-arachnoid, epidural, dura, pia, arachnoid
C. arachnoid, sun-arachnoid, pia, epidural, dura
D. epidural, dura, arachnoid, sub-arachnoid, pia
29. What does the term “synapse” refer to?
A. the plasma membrane of the axon terminal of a nerve cell.
B. that part of the plasma membrane of the cell being stimulated, that is opposite the axon terminal.
C. the gap between the stimulating nerve cell and the receiving cell.
D. the place where signal transmission between a nerve cell and the cell it is
stimulating occurs
30. Which nerve cells carry impulses from the brain to the muscles?
A. Sensory
B. Motor
C. Afferent
D. Association

11. 31. What name is used for a nerve cell?
A. neuron
B. neuroglia
C. ganglion
D. astrocyte
32. There is a space between a neuron and the cell it stimulates, that is crossed by
a neurotransmitter. What is it called?
A. synaptic cleft
B. voltage-gated channel
C. synapse
D. post-synaptic membrane
33. Which membrane surrounds the lungs?
A. the pericardium
B. the pleura
C. the mediastinum
D. the diaphragm
34. The “systemic circulation” refers to which of the following?

12. A. The movement of blood from the pulmonary trunk, through capillaries into
the pulmonary veins.
B. The movement of blood into the coronary arteries, through capillaries into
the coronary sinus.
C. The flow of blood into the right atrium and eventually out of the left
ventricle.
D. The movement of blood from the aorta, through capillaries, then eventually
into the vena cavae.
35. What is the pulse that we feel at the anterior medial part of the elbow (when in
anatomical position) called?
A. Radial pulse
B. Ulnar pulse
C. Carotid pulse
D.
Brachial pulse
36. If someone’s ABO blood group is “type A”, this means that
A.

13. they have the type A antigen on their red blood cells
B. their blood contains anti-A agglutinins
C. they can receive blood from a type B donor
D. they may donate blood to a type B recipient
37. What is the major task of red blood cells?
A. to transport carbon dioxide
B. to ensure haemostasis
C. to provide immunity
D.
to transport oxygen
38. Which blood cells are involved in protecting the body from pathogens and foreign cells?
A.
erythrocytes
B. leucocytes
C. platelets
D. haemoglobin
39. Which individuals can receive any type of blood and are considered universal

14. recipients?
A. A+
B. O−
C. AB
D. B−
40. What is the first process that occurs after a blood vessel is damaged?
A. coagulation
B. platelet plug formation
C. vasoconstriction
D. haemolysis
41
SECTION B
41. a) Define the following terms used in the lymphatic system.
I) Lymph
II) Lymphangitis
III) Lymphadenitis
IV) Lymphadenopathy
V) Splenomegaly
VI) Lymphoedema
B) Mention any three organs of the lymphatic system.
42. a) Define synapse

15. B) Explain how information passes from one neuron to another.
C) Distinguish the function of sensory nerve and motor nerve.
D) List the four ventricles of the brain.
43. A) Write CSF in full.
B) Explain how CSF is produced and how it function.
C) Name the four (4) lobes and three (3) principal sulci of the cerebrum.
44. A) Identify the reproductive organ in male and female.
B) Outline any two functions of each organ you have identified above.
C) List four (4) sexual characteristics that developed in female at puberty.
D) Label the parts of external structure of the female reproductive system.
45. Match the cranial nerves to the body parts or functions that
they affect. More than one nerve pair may correspond to the
same structure or function
(1) olfactory nerves (I) A. Vision

16. (2) optic nerves (II) B. Hearing and equilibrium
(3) oculomotor nerves (III). C. Muscles of the larynx, pharynx, soft palate, sternocleidomastoid and
trapezius muscles
(4) trochlear nerves (IV). D. Heart, various smooth muscles and glands in the thorax and abdomen
(5) trigeminal nerves (V). E. Taste, facial expressions, secretion of tears and saliva
(6) abducens nerves (VI). F. Sense of smell
(7) facial nerves (VII). G. Tongue movements and swallowing
(8) vestibulocochlear nerves (VIII). H. Face and scalp
(9) glossopharyngeal nerves (IX) I. Eye movements
(10) vagus nerves (X)
(11) accessory nerves (XI)
(12) hypoglossal nerves (XII)