10 Medical mnemonics

Let’s learn these confusing topics easily.

Expected time of learning : 30 Minutes

 

Questions, asked in previous exams, on these topics are in the end.

 

1. Risk Factors for Cholelithiasis : 5 F’s

Risk factors for the development of cholelithiasis can be remembered easily by 5 F’s

  1. Fat: BMI >30

  2. Fair

  3. Female

  4. Fertile: one or more children

  5. Forty: age ≥40


Cholelithiasis can occur in young patients with a positive family history; in such cases, 5th factor “Forty” can be replaced by “Familial”.

 

2. Causes of abdominal distension : 6 F’s

  • F: Fat

  • F: Fetus

  • F: Feces

  • F: Flatus

  • F: Fluid 

  • F: Fulminant mass

 

3. Major branches of the aortic arch : ABC’S

 

  • A: Arch of aorta

  • B: Brachiocephalic trunk

  • C: Left Common Carotid Artery

  • S: Left Subclavian Artery

 

4. Contents of the broad ligament : BROAD

  • B: Bundle (Ovarian Neurovascular Bundle)

  • R: Round ligament

  • O: Ovarian ligament

  • A: Artifacts (vestigial structures)

  • D: Duct (oviduct)

 

5. Carbolic acid poisoning can be recalled using the mnemonic : 5 Cs

  • C: CNS depression

  • C: Constricted pupil

  • C: Carboluria (smoky urine)

  • C: Cartilage

  • C: Corneal deposition

 

6. Carpal bones (Wrist Bones Mnemonic)

You may remember whichever you like. I like the third one.

  • She Looks Too Pretty Try To Catch Her

  • She Likes To Play Try To Catch Her

  • Some Lovers Try Positions That They Cannot Handle

 

Eight Carpal Bones are –

  • S: Scaphoid

  • L: Lunate

  • T: Triquetrum

  • P: Pisiform

  • T: Trapezium

  • T: Trapezoid

  • C: Capitate

  • H: Hamate

 

7. Causes of pancreatitis : I GET SMASHED

  • I: Idiopathic

  • G: Gallstones, Genetic – cystic fibrosis

  • E: Ethanol (alcohol)

  • T: Trauma

  • S: Steroids

  • M: Mumps (and other infections)/Malignancy

  • A: Autoimmune

  • S: Scorpion stings/spider bites

  • H: Hyperlipidemia/hypercalcemia/ hyperparathyroidism (metabolic disorders)

  • E: ERCP

  • D: Drugs (tetracyclines, furosemide, azathioprine, thiazides and many others)

The first four are the most common causes of pancreatitis.

 

8. Radiological features of Crohn’s disease : CROHNS

  • C: Cobblestone appearance of mucosa

  • R: Rose-thorn ulcers

  • O: Obstruction of bowel

  • H: Hyperplasia of mesenteric lymph nodes

  • N: Narrowing of intestinal lumen

  • S: Skip lesions

 

9. Thoracic spinal levels at which the three major structures pass through the diaphragmatic apertures : “I 8 10 eggs at 12″  

Read it as : “I ate ten eggs at twelve”

 

  • I 8: Inferior Vena Cava at T8

  • 10 Eggs: Esophagus at T10

  • At 12: Aorta at T12

 

10. Ejaculatory pathway of sperm : SEVEN UP

  • S: Seminiferous tubules of the testes

  • E: Epididymis

  • V: Vas (ductus) deferens

  • E: Ejaculatory duct

  • N: Nothing (leave this)

  • U: Urethra

  • P: Penis

Related questions (asked in previous exams)

 

Question 1 : Which of the following patient factors is NOT a risk factors for cholelithiasis?

  • Fat

  • Fair

  • Female

  • Febrile

  • Fertile

 

Question 2 : Which of the following is NOT a branch of Aortic Arch?

  • Arch of aorta

  • Brachiocephalic trunk

  • Left common carotid artery

  • Right subclavian artery

 

Question 3 : Which of the following is NOT a sign of Carbolic Acid Poisioning?

 

  • CNS depression

  • Constricted pupil

  • Smoky urine

  • Dilated Pupil

 

Question 4 : Cobblestone appearance is related with which disease?

  • Crohn’s Disease

  • Pneumonia

  • Ulcerative Colitis

  • Peptic Ulcer

.

Question 5 : Inferior Vena Cava passes diaphragm at which thoracic level?

  • T-6

  • T-8

  • T-10

  • T-12

 

Question 6 : Oesophagus passes diaphragm at which thoracic level?

  • T-6

  • T-8

  • T-10

  • T-12