General Pathology Saq Sample Exam e

Candidate I.D.
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General Pathology
The following are examples of items that you
would find in a short-answer question (SAQ)
exam. Model answers are included for your
information.
[Date]
Confidential – all rights reserved – unauthorized reproduction or use prohibited.
Booklet 1 of 1
Candidate Code No. ______________________________
General Pathology - Paper X
Instructions – Please Read Carefully
1. The time allowed for this examination is THREE hours.
2. Please use a ballpoint or fountain pen only. Do not use a felt-tip pen. It
produces a script that spreads or is too thick, and is therefore difficult or
impossible to read.
3. Please write or print as legibly as possible. The examiners cannot assign

marks for answers they cannot read.
4. Be as brief and direct as possible, making use of the space provided after
each question.
5. Examination booklets must be returned intact to the invigilator. You may

not copy and/or remove the questions in any way.
6. If a specific number of answers is requested (e.g. list FOUR), do not list

more than requested as they will not be marked (i.e. if four are requested,
only the first four will be marked).
7. Certain questions might contain more than one page. Please make sure that
you have completed all pages of each booklet.
8. Please affix your candidate number sticker in the space provided on the
COVER PAGE of each examination booklet.
NOTE:
After test administration, statistical analyses are conducted and a small number of
questions may be deleted if they do not meet standards for psychometric validity.
Question weighting may vary because of the importance of the question or the number
of answers required. Deleted questions are not included when calculating candidates'
final scores. Unanswered questions are scored as incorrect; therefore, you should
answer every question.
There is a standard process for evaluating changes in medicine that occur too late in the
test administration schedule to replace or modify any affected examination questions.
We advise candidates to answer all questions according to their understanding of
current clinical principles and practice. If it is determined that any question has been
compromised by new information (newly published findings), that question will be
reviewed to ensure that test-taker results are not adversely affected.
Marks
1. List THREE coagulation-related components present in cryoprecipitate. 3
Model Answer
(3 marks)
- Factor VIII
- Fibrinogen
- von Willebrand factor
- Factor XIII
Marks
2. A family physician asks you for advice on interpreting the following 1
hepatitis blood test result in a patient:
HBsAg: Positive
anti-HBc: Positive
IgM anti-HBc: Positive
anti-HBs: Negative
How should this result be interpreted?
Model Answer
(1 mark)
Actively, acutely infected
Marks
3. a) Name THREE markers that are indicative of a systemic inflammatory 3
response.
b) What biochemical marker is useful in differentiating sepsis from a 1

generalized systemic inflammatory response?
Model Answer
a) (3 marks)
C-reactive protein (CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), ferritin, alpha-1
antitrypsin (AAT), Ig levels, ceruloplasmin, interleukins, tumour necrosis factor, alpha
(TNF-alpha)
b) (1 mark)
Procalcitonin
Marks
4.
a) What test is MOST commonly used for the diagnosis of Clostridium 2
difficile-associated diarrhea? What is the preferred specimen?
b) Give TWO examples of specimens that are NOT appropriate for C. 1

difficile testing and would be rejected by the laboratory.
c) Why is a stool culture of C. difficile NOT routinely performed? 1
Model Answer
a) 2 marks
Enzyme immunoassay for toxins A and B; watery stool
b) 1 marks
Formed stool, rectal swab
c) 1 mark
Lacks specificity for infection
Marks
5.
a) Describe the basic principles behind the determination of the activated 4
partial thromboplastin time aPTT or the prothrombin time international
normalized ratio PT-INR using a modern automated coagulation
instrument.
b) List THREE causes of a prolonged aPTT. 3
Model Answer
a) - Ca2+ is added to overcome the citrate anticoagulant in the tube.
- The clotting process is initiated by an external stimulus.
- The time for the formation of the clot is recorded.
- The clot is generally detected by the ceasing of movement of some entity in the
specimen chamber.
b) heparin contamination, factor deficiency, factor inhibitor (antibody to one or more

coagulation factors)
Before you leave the room, please return your examination

End booklet(s) to the invigilator.

General Pathology Saq Sample Exam e

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Candidate I.D.

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Confidential – all rights reserved – unauthorized reproduction or use prohibited.

General Pathology - Paper X

Instructions – Please Read Carefully

1. The time allowed for this examination is THREE hours.

3. Please write or print as legibly as possible. The examiners cannot assign

5. Examination booklets must be returned intact to the invigilator. You may

6. If a specific number of answers is requested (e.g. list FOUR), do not list

General Pathology - Paper X

General Pathology - Paper X

How should this result be interpreted?

General Pathology - Paper X

b) What biochemical marker is useful in differentiating sepsis from a 1

General Pathology - Paper X

b) Give TWO examples of specimens that are NOT appropriate for C. 1

c) Why is a stool culture of C. difficile NOT routinely performed? 1

General Pathology - Paper X

b) List THREE causes of a prolonged aPTT. 3

b) heparin contamination, factor deficiency, factor inhibitor (antibody to one or more

Before you leave the room, please return your examination

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