Content Blueprint Organ Areas
The table below illustrates the approximate percentage of exam questions you'll encounter. Other content dimensions cross-sect these categories. For example, up to 20 percent of the questions on any exam may also be related to surgery or infectious disease, and up to two percent may also cover legal or ethical issues.
Although not an exhaustive listing, click on each organ system to view a sample of the diseases, disorders and medical assessments you may encounter during the exam. These lists can provide a foundation for your exam preparation and serve as your blueprint to the exam content.
Each question you encounter will address an organ system from the table below and a physician assistant practice task area.
The Cardiovascular System
Cardiomyopathy Dilated Hypertrophic Restrictive Conduction Disorders Atrial fibrillation/flutter Atrioventricular block Bundle branch block Paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia Premature beats Sick sinus syndrome Ventricular tachycardia Ventricular fibrillation Torsades de pointes Congenital Heart Disease Atrial septal defect Coarctation of aorta Patent ductus arteriosus Tetralogy of Fallot Ventricular septal defect Heart Failure
| Hypertension Essential Secondary Hypertensive emergencies Hypotension Cardiogenic shock Orthostatic hypotension Coronary Heart Disease Acute myocardial infarction • Non-ST-segment elevation • ST-segment Angina pectoris • Stable • Unstable • Prinzmetal variant Vascular Disease Aortic aneurysm/dissection Arterial embolism/thrombosis Giant cell arteritis Peripheral artery disease Phlebitis/thrombophlebitis Varicose veins Venous insufficiency Venous thrombosis | Valvular Disease Aortic stenosis Aortic regurgitation Mitral stenosis Mitral regurgitation Mitral valve prolapse Tricuspid stenosis Tricuspid regurgitation Pulmonary stenosis Pulmonary regurgitation Other Forms of Heart Disease Acute and subacute bacterial endocarditis Acute pericarditis Cardiac tamponade Pericardial effusion |
The Dermatologic System
Eczematous Eruptions Dermatitis Dyshidrosis Lichen simplex chronicus Papulosquamous Diseases Drug eruptions Lichen planus Pityriasis rosea Psoriasis Desquamation Erythema multiforme Stevens-Johnson syndrome Toxic epidermal necrolysis Vesicular Bullae Bullous pemphigoid Acneiform Lesions Acne vulgaris Rosacea | Verrucous Lesions Actinic keratosis Seborrheic keratosis Insects/Parasites Lice Scabies Spider bites Neoplasms Basal cell carcinoma Kaposi sarcoma Melanoma Squamous cell carcinoma Hair and Nails Alopecia Onychomycosis Paronychia Viral Diseases Condyloma acuminatum Exanthems Herpes simplex Molluscum contagiosum Varicella-zoster virus infections Verrucae | Bacterial Infections Cellulitis Erysipelas Impetigo Fungal Infections Candidiasis Dermatophyte infections Other Acanthosis nigricans Burns Hidradenitis suppurativa Lipomas/epithelial inclusion cysts Melasma Pilonidal disease Pressure ulcers Urticaria Vitiligo |
Eye Disorders Blepharitis Blowout fracture Cataract Chalazion Conjunctivitis Corneal abrasion Corneal ulcer Dacryoadenitis Ectropion Entropion Foreign body Glaucoma Hordeolum Hyphema Macular degeneration Nystagmus Optic neuritis Orbital cellulitis Papilledema Pterygium Retinal detachment Retinal vascular occlusion Retinopathy Strabismus
| Ear Disorders Acute/chronic otitis media Acoustic neuroma Barotrauma Cholesteatoma Dysfunction of eustachian tube Foreign body Hearing impairment Hematoma of external ear Labyrinthitis Mastoiditis Meniere disease Otitis externa Tinnitus Tympanic membrane perforation Vertigo | Nose/Sinus Disorders Acute/chronic sinusitis Allergic rhinitis Epistaxis Foreign body Nasal polyps Mouth/Throat Disorders Acute pharyngitis Aphthous ulcers Diseases of the teeth/gums Epiglottitis Laryngitis Oral candidiasis Oral herpes simplex Oral leukoplakia Peritonsillar abscess Parotitis Sialadenitis Benign and malignant neoplasms |
Diseases of the Thyroid Gland Hyperthyroidism Hypothyroidism Neoplastic disease Thyroiditis Diseases of the Parathyroid Glands Hyperparathyroidism Hypoparathyroidism | Diseases of the Adrenal Glands Corticoadrenal insufficiency Cushing syndrome Neoplastic disease Diseases of the Pituitary Gland Acromegaly/gigantism Diabetes insipidus Dwarfism Neoplastic disease Pituitary adenoma | Diabetes Mellitus Type 1 Type 2 Lipid Disorders Hypercholesterolemia Hypertriglyceridemia |
Esophagus Esophagitis Motility disorders Mallory-Weiss tear Neoplasms Strictures Varices Stomach Gastroesophageal reflux disease Gastritis Neoplasms Peptic ulcer disease Pyloric stenosis Gallbladder Acute/chronic cholecystitis Cholangitis Cholelithiasis Liver Acute/chronic hepatitis Cirrhosis Neoplasms | Pancreas Acute/chronic pancreatitis Neoplasms Small Intestine/Colon Appendicitis Celiac disease Constipation Diverticular disease Inflammatory bowel disease Intussusception Irritable bowel syndrome Ischemic bowel disease Lactose intolerance Neoplasms Obstruction Polyps Toxic megacolon | Rectum Anal fissure Abscess/fistula Fecal impaction Hemorrhoids Neoplasms Hernia Infectious and Noninfectious Diarrhea Vitamin and Nutritional Deficiencies Metabolic Disorders Phenylketonuria |
GU Tract Conditions Benign prostatic hyperplasia Congenital abnormalities Cryptorchidism Erectile dysfunction Hydrocele/varicocele Incontinence Nephrolithiasis/urolithiasis Paraphimosis/phimosis Testicular torsion | Infectious/Inflammatory Conditions Cystitis Epididymitis Orchitis Prostatitis Pyelonephritis Urethritis Neoplastic Diseases Bladder cancer Prostate cancer Renal cell carcinoma Testicular cancer Wilms tumor | Renal Diseases Acute renal failure Chronic kidney disease Glomerulonephritis Hydronephrosis Nephrotic syndrome Polycystic kidney disease Renal vascular disease Fluid and Electrolyte Disorders Hypervolemia Hypovolemia Acid/Base Disorders |
Anemias Anemia of chronic disease Aplastic anemia Folate deficiency G6PD deficiency Hemolytic anemia Iron deficiency Sickle cell anemia Thalassemia Vitamin B12 deficiency
| Coagulation Disorders Clotting factor disorders Hypercoagulable states Thrombocytopenia • Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura • Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura | Malignancies Acute/chronic lymphocytic leukemia Acute/chronic myelogenous leukemia Lymphoma Multiple myeloma |
Fungal Disease Candidiasis Cryptococcosis Histoplasmosis Pneumocystis Bacterial Disease Acute rheumatic fever Botulism Chlamydia Cholera Diphtheria Gonococcal infections Salmonellosis Shigellosis Tetanus | Mycobacterial Disease Atypical mycobacterial disease Tuberculosis Parasitic Disease Helminth infestations Malaria Pinworms Toxoplasmosis Spirochetal Disease Lyme disease Rocky Mountain spotted fever Syphilis | Viral Disease Cytomegalovirus infections Epstein-Barr virus infections Erythema infectiosum Herpes simplex HIV infection Human papillomavirus infections Influenza Measles Mumps Rabies Roseola Rubella Varicella-zoster virus infections |
Disorders of the Shoulder Fractures/dislocations Soft tissue injuries Disorders of the Forearm/Wrist/Hand Fractures/dislocations Soft tissue injuries Disorders of the Back/Spine Ankylosing spondylitis Back strain/sprain Cauda equina Herniated nucleus pulposus Kyphosis Lower back pain Scoliosis Spinal stenosis | Disorders of the Hip Avascular necrosis Development dysplasia Fractures/dislocations Slipped capital femoral epiphysis Disorders of the Knee Fractures/dislocations Osgood-Schlatter disease Soft tissue injuries Disorders of the Ankle/Foot Fractures/dislocations Soft tissue injuries Infectious Diseases Acute/chronic osteomyelitis Septic arthritis Neoplastic Disease Bone cysts/tumors Ganglion | Osteoarthritis Osteoporosis Compartment Syndrome Rheumatologic Conditions Fibromyalgia Gout/pseudogout Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis Polyarteritis nodosa Polymyositis Polymyalgia rheumatica Reactive arthritis (Reiter syndrome) Rheumatoid arthritis Systemic lupus erythematosus Systemic sclerosis (Scleroderma) Sjögren syndrome |
Diseases of Peripheral Nerves Complex regional pain syndrome Peripheral neuropathies Headaches Cluster headache Migraine Tension headache Infectious Disorders Encephalitis Meningitis
| Movement Disorders Essential tremor Huntington disease Parkinson disease Vascular Disorders Cerebral aneurysm Intracranial hemorrhage Stroke Transient ischemic attack | Other Neurologic Disorders Altered level of consciousness Cerebral palsy Concussion Dementias Delirium Guillain-Barré syndrome Multiple sclerosis Myasthenia gravis Postconcussion syndrome Seizure disorders Status epilepticus Syncope Tourette disorder |
Anxiety Disorders Generalized anxiety disorder Panic disorder Phobias Post-traumatic stress disorder Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Autistic Disorder Eating Disorders Anorexia nervosa Bulimia nervosa Obesity | Mood Disorders Adjustment Bipolar Depressive Dysthymic Personality Disorders Psychoses Delusional disorder Schizophrenia | Somatoform Disorders Substance Use Disorders Abuse Dependence Withdrawal Other Behavior/Emotional Disorders Acute reaction to stress Child/elder abuse Conduct disorders Domestic violence Grief reaction Suicide |
Infectious Disorders Acute bronchitis Acute bronchiolitis Acute epiglottitis Croup Influenza Pertussis Pneumonias • Bacterial • Viral • Fungal • HIV-related Respiratory syncytial virus infection Tuberculosis | Neoplastic Disease Carcinoid tumors Lung cancer Pulmonary nodules Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Asthma Bronchiectasis Chronic bronchitis Cystic fibrosis Emphysema Pleural Diseases Pleural effusion Pneumothorax | Pulmonary Circulation Cor pulmonale Pulmonary embolism Pulmonary hypertension Restrictive Pulmonary Disease Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis Pneumoconiosis Sarcoidosis Other Pulmonary Disease Acute respiratory distress syndrome Hyaline membrane disease Foreign body aspiration |
Uterus Dysfunctional uterine bleeding Endometrial cancer Endometriosis Leiomyoma Prolapse Ovary Cysts Neoplasms Cervix Cancer Cervicitis Dysplasia Incompetent Vagina/Vulva Cystocele Neoplasm Prolapse Rectocele Vaginitis | Menstrual Disorders Amenorrhea Dysmenorrhea Premenstrual syndrome Menopause Breast Abscess Cancer Fibroadenoma Fibrocystic disease Gynecomastia Galactorrhea Mastitis Pelvic Inflammatory Disease Contraceptive Methods Infertility Uncomplicated Pregnancy Normal labor/delivery Prenatal diagnosis/care
| Complicated Pregnancy Abortion Abruptio placentae Cesarean section Dystocia Ectopic pregnancy Fetal distress Gestational diabetes Gestational trophoblastic disease Hypertension disorders in pregnancy Multiple gestation Placenta previa Postpartum hemorrhage Premature rupture of membranes Rh incompatibility |
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