MIDTERM CERTIFICATION ASSESSMENT 2026
TESTED QUESTIONS
◉ The components of the health history include all of the following
except which one?
Review of systems
Thorax and lungs
Present illness
Personal and social items Answer: Thorax and lungs
The thorax and lungs are part of the physical examination, not part
of the health history. The others answers are all part of a complete
health history.
◉ Is the following information subjective or objective?
,Mr. M. has shortness of breath that has persisted for the past 10
days; it is worse with activity and relieved by rest. Answer:
Subjective
This is information given by the patient about the circumstances of
his chief complaint. It does not represent an objective observation
by the examiner.
◉ Is the following information subjective or objective?
Mr. M. has a respiratory rate of 32 and a pulse rate of 120. Answer:
Objective
This is a measurement obtained by the examiner, so it is considered
objective data. The patient is unlikely to be able to give this
information to the examiner.
◉ The following information is recorded in the health history: "The
patient has had abdominal pain for 1 week. The pain lasts for 30
minutes at a time; it comes and goes. The severity is 7 to 9 on a scale
of 1 to 10. It is accompanied by nausea and vomiting. It is located in
the mid-epigastric area."
Which of these categories does it belong to?
Chief complaint
,Present illness
Personal and social history
Review of systems Answer: Present illness
This information describes the problem of abdominal pain, which is
the present illness. The interviewer has obtained the location,
timing, severity, and associated manifestations of the pain. The
interviewer will still need to obtain information concerning the
quality of the pain, the setting in which it occurred, and the factors
that aggravate and alleviate the pain. You will notice that it does
include portions of the pertinent review of systems, but because it
relates directly to the complaint, it is included in the history of
present illness.
◉ The following information is recorded in the health history: "The
patient completed 8th grade. He currently lives with his wife and
two children. He works on old cars on the weekend. He works in a
glass factory during the week."
Which category does it belong to?
Chief complaint
Present illness
, Personal and social history
Review of systems Answer: Personal and social history
Personal and social history information includes educational level,
family of origin, current household status, personal interests,
employment, religious beliefs, military history, and lifestyle
(including diet and exercise habits; use of alcohol, tobacco, and/or
drugs; and sexual preferences and history). All of this information is
documented in this example.
◉ The following information is recorded in the health history: "I feel
really tired."
Which category does it belong to?
Chief complaint
Present illness
Personal and social history
Review of systems Answer: Chief complaint