DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS TEST PAPER 2026
QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS GRADED A+
◉ The patient has acute pancreatitis with 7 of the diagnostic criteria
from Ranson's Criteria. In order to plan care, the clinician
understands that this criteria score has which of the following
meanings?
a. a high mortality rate
b. an increased chance of recurrence
c. 7% chance of the disease becoming chronic
d. all of the above. Answer: a. a high mortality rate
◉ Reuben, age 24, has HIV and just had a routine viral load test
done. The results show a falling viral load What does this indicate
a. a favorable diagnostic trend
b. disease progression
c. the need to be more aggressive with Reuben's medications
d. the eradication of the HIV. Answer: a. a favorable diagnostic trend
,◉ Which is the differentiating symptom mbetween labyrinthitis and
vestibular neuritis?
a. symptoms with vestibular neuritis are usually acute in onset,
whereas with labyrinthitis the onet is more gradual
b. hearing loss may be associated with vestibular neuritis, but not
with labyrinthitis
c. symptoms with labyrinthitis are usually acute in onset, ,whereas
with vesticular neuritis the onset is more gradual
d. hearing loss may be associated with labyrinthitis ,but not with
vestibular neuritis.. Answer: d. hearing loss may be associated with
labyrinthitis ,but not with vestibular neuritis.
◉ A 27 year old female presents with a chief complaint of burning
and pain on urination. She has no previous history of urinary tract
infection. what are some additional symptoms consistant with a
diagnosis of lower UTI?
a. back and abdominal pain
b. fever, chills, costovertebral angle (CVA) tenderness
c. blood in urine and frequency
d. foul-smelling discharge, perineal itch. Answer: c. blood in urine
and frequency
,◉ The differential diagnosis for vertigo can be classified into which
of the following categories:
a. peripheral vestibular disease
b. CNS disorders
c. Systemic disorders
d. all of the above. Answer: d. all of the above
◉ Sam is a 25-year-old man who has been diagnosed with low back
strain based on his history of localized low back pain and muscle
spasm along with a normal neurological examination. As the
clinician, you explain to Sam that low back pain is a diagnosis of
exclusion. Which of the following symptoms would alert the clinician
to the more serious finding of a herniated nucleus pulposus or
ruptured disc?
a. morning stiffness and limited mobility of the lumbar spine
b. unilateral radicular pain symptoms that extend below the knee
and are equal to or greater than the back pain
c. Fever, chills, and elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate
d. pathologic fractures, severe night pain, weight loss and fatigue.
Answer: b. unilateral radicular pain symptoms that extend below the
knee and are equal to or greater than the back pain
, ◉ Preceptors must always see the patients that the students see in
the clinical setting
a. true
b. false. Answer: a. true
◉ An 82 year old man is seen in the primary care office with
complaints of dribbling urine and difficulty starting his stream.
Which of the following should be included in the list of differentials?
a. BPH
b. Prostate cancer
c. UTI
d. all of the above. Answer: d. all of the above
◉ Which causes the greatest percentage of mammalian bites?
a. dogs
b. cats
c. humans
d. rodents. Answer: a. dogs
QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS GRADED A+
◉ The patient has acute pancreatitis with 7 of the diagnostic criteria
from Ranson's Criteria. In order to plan care, the clinician
understands that this criteria score has which of the following
meanings?
a. a high mortality rate
b. an increased chance of recurrence
c. 7% chance of the disease becoming chronic
d. all of the above. Answer: a. a high mortality rate
◉ Reuben, age 24, has HIV and just had a routine viral load test
done. The results show a falling viral load What does this indicate
a. a favorable diagnostic trend
b. disease progression
c. the need to be more aggressive with Reuben's medications
d. the eradication of the HIV. Answer: a. a favorable diagnostic trend
,◉ Which is the differentiating symptom mbetween labyrinthitis and
vestibular neuritis?
a. symptoms with vestibular neuritis are usually acute in onset,
whereas with labyrinthitis the onet is more gradual
b. hearing loss may be associated with vestibular neuritis, but not
with labyrinthitis
c. symptoms with labyrinthitis are usually acute in onset, ,whereas
with vesticular neuritis the onset is more gradual
d. hearing loss may be associated with labyrinthitis ,but not with
vestibular neuritis.. Answer: d. hearing loss may be associated with
labyrinthitis ,but not with vestibular neuritis.
◉ A 27 year old female presents with a chief complaint of burning
and pain on urination. She has no previous history of urinary tract
infection. what are some additional symptoms consistant with a
diagnosis of lower UTI?
a. back and abdominal pain
b. fever, chills, costovertebral angle (CVA) tenderness
c. blood in urine and frequency
d. foul-smelling discharge, perineal itch. Answer: c. blood in urine
and frequency
,◉ The differential diagnosis for vertigo can be classified into which
of the following categories:
a. peripheral vestibular disease
b. CNS disorders
c. Systemic disorders
d. all of the above. Answer: d. all of the above
◉ Sam is a 25-year-old man who has been diagnosed with low back
strain based on his history of localized low back pain and muscle
spasm along with a normal neurological examination. As the
clinician, you explain to Sam that low back pain is a diagnosis of
exclusion. Which of the following symptoms would alert the clinician
to the more serious finding of a herniated nucleus pulposus or
ruptured disc?
a. morning stiffness and limited mobility of the lumbar spine
b. unilateral radicular pain symptoms that extend below the knee
and are equal to or greater than the back pain
c. Fever, chills, and elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate
d. pathologic fractures, severe night pain, weight loss and fatigue.
Answer: b. unilateral radicular pain symptoms that extend below the
knee and are equal to or greater than the back pain
, ◉ Preceptors must always see the patients that the students see in
the clinical setting
a. true
b. false. Answer: a. true
◉ An 82 year old man is seen in the primary care office with
complaints of dribbling urine and difficulty starting his stream.
Which of the following should be included in the list of differentials?
a. BPH
b. Prostate cancer
c. UTI
d. all of the above. Answer: d. all of the above
◉ Which causes the greatest percentage of mammalian bites?
a. dogs
b. cats
c. humans
d. rodents. Answer: a. dogs
