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AMC MCQ · Emergency Medicine

AMC Emergency Medicine MCQ Practice — 200+ Questions for IMGs

Anaphylaxis, sepsis, trauma, toxicology and resuscitation — AMC MCQ emergency medicine MCQs for IMGs.

204 questions in the full bank · 5 free samples below · Spaced repetition + AI explanations on the free tier.

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Why Emergency Medicine matters in AMC MCQ

Emergency medicine contributes 10–12 questions to AMC MCQ, and the topic is heavily weighted because every Australian intern works ED rotations. Expect vignettes on anaphylaxis adrenaline dosing, sepsis recognition (qSOFA, lactate), severe asthma, hyperkalaemia, toxicology (paracetamol, tricyclic, opioid), trauma primary survey, and acute coronary syndrome triage.

Mostly Medicine’s emergency bank is mapped to the Australian Resuscitation Council (ARC) algorithms, Therapeutic Guidelines: Antibiotic and Toxicology, and the Royal Australasian College of Emergency Medicine (ACEM) guidelines. You’ll see MCQs on adult and paediatric BLS/ALS algorithms, the modified ABC of trauma, the Westmead Rumack-Matthew nomogram for paracetamol overdose, sodium bicarbonate in TCA toxicity, naloxone titration, hypertonic saline for symptomatic hyponatraemia, and DKA management.

AMC emergency vignettes prize speed and decision-making over depth. Stems are typically dense (vital signs, brief history, key bedside finding) and demand the single best immediate action. Practising 150+ Australian-aligned emergency MCQs trains exam-day muscle memory. Sign up free to unlock the full bank.

5 free Emergency Medicine sample MCQs

Below are five sample questions taken straight from the Mostly Medicine emergency medicine bank. The correct answer is highlighted, with the worked explanation tucked inside a collapsed panel so you can self-test first.

Question 1Anaphylaxis · easy

A 25-year-old woman collapses 10 minutes after a bee sting. She has urticaria, angioedema, wheeze, and BP 70/40. HR 135. What is the immediate first-line treatment?

  1. A.IV chlorphenamine (antihistamine)
  2. B.IV hydrocortisone 200 mg
  3. C.IM adrenaline 0.5 mg (1:1000) into the outer thighCorrect
  4. D.Nebulised salbutamol
  5. E.High-flow oxygen alone
Show explanation

Anaphylaxis: IM adrenaline (epinephrine) 0.5 mg (1:1000) into the anterolateral thigh is the FIRST and most important treatment. Do NOT give IV adrenaline routinely (risk of VF) unless cardiac arrest. Position flat (legs up if hypotension). Then: high-flow O2, IV fluids, repeat adrenaline in 5 min if no response. Antihistamines and steroids are adjuncts only — NOT first-line.

Question 2Poisoning · medium

A 19-year-old woman presents 6 hours after intentional paracetamol overdose of 15 g. She is asymptomatic. What is the initial assessment and treatment?

  1. A.No treatment needed — she is asymptomatic
  2. B.Check paracetamol level and plot on Rumack-Matthew nomogram; start N-acetylcysteine if above treatment lineCorrect
  3. C.Activated charcoal is effective at 6 hours
  4. D.LFTs only — treat if ALT elevated
  5. E.Start N-acetylcysteine for all paracetamol overdoses regardless of level
Show explanation

Paracetamol overdose: asymptomatic early (liver damage occurs 24–72h). Serum paracetamol level at ≥4 hours post-ingestion → plot on Rumack-Matthew nomogram. If above treatment line → IV N-acetylcysteine (NAC) immediately. NAC most effective <8h. Activated charcoal only if <2h and alert/protected airway. Always psychiatric assessment after intentional overdose.

Question 3Trauma · easy

A 30-year-old man is brought in after a motorbike accident. GCS 14 (E3V4M5), BP 95/70, HR 128, RR 28. He has decreased breath sounds on the left and a deviated trachea to the right. What is the immediate management?

  1. A.CXR to confirm diagnosis
  2. B.CT chest immediately
  3. C.Needle decompression of left chest immediatelyCorrect
  4. D.Intubate and ventilate first
  5. E.IV fluid resuscitation 2 L
Show explanation

Tension pneumothorax: trachea deviated AWAY from affected side, absent breath sounds on affected side, haemodynamic instability. Clinical diagnosis — do NOT wait for CXR. Immediate needle decompression (14-16G needle, 2nd ICS, midclavicular line). Then definitive chest drain. In intubated patients, sudden deterioration after intubation + tension → needle decompression.

Question 4Burns · hard

A 35-year-old man sustains burns from a house fire. He has circumferential full-thickness burns to the right arm and superficial partial-thickness burns to the anterior trunk and right leg. Using the rule of nines, what is the TBSA% and what is the parkland formula fluid in 24 hours (weight 80 kg)?

  1. A.TBSA 27%, fluid 8640 mLCorrect
  2. B.TBSA 36%, fluid 11520 mL
  3. C.TBSA 20%, fluid 6400 mL
  4. D.TBSA 45%, fluid 14400 mL
  5. E.TBSA 18%, fluid 5760 mL
Show explanation

Rule of nines: arm = 9%, anterior trunk = 18%, leg = 18%. Full-thickness arm (9%) + partial trunk half (18%/2 = 9%) + partial leg (9%) = 27% TBSA (using Lund-Browder for accuracy; rule of nines here gives approximation). Parkland formula: 4 mL × kg × TBSA = 4 × 80 × 27 = 8640 mL Hartmann's in 24h (half in first 8h from time of burn, remainder in next 16h). Superficial burns not included in fluid calculation.

Question 5Head Injury · medium

A 22-year-old rugby player is knocked out briefly, regains consciousness, but 2 hours later becomes increasingly confused and vomits. GCS drops from 15 to 12. CT head shows a biconvex hyperdense lesion. What is the diagnosis?

  1. A.Diffuse axonal injury
  2. B.Extradural (epidural) haematoma — urgent neurosurgical evacuationCorrect
  3. C.Subdural haematoma
  4. D.Subarachnoid haemorrhage
  5. E.Cerebral contusion
Show explanation

Extradural haematoma: biconvex hyperdense lesion on CT (blood between skull and dura). Classic: lucid interval then deterioration (blood from middle meningeal artery after temporal bone fracture). Management: urgent neurosurgical evacuation. Subdural: concave hyperdense lesion, bridging veins, often elderly. Prognosis of EDH excellent if treated early — excellent recovery.

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Emergency Medicine FAQ

What anaphylaxis dose does AMC test?

IM adrenaline 0.01 mg/kg (max 0.5 mg) into the anterolateral thigh, repeat every 5 minutes if needed. Add IV fluids, oxygen, and salbutamol for bronchospasm. Antihistamines and steroids are adjuncts, never first-line.

How is sepsis recognition tested?

Use qSOFA (RR ≥22, altered mentation, SBP ≤90) for bedside screening, lactate >2 mmol/L for hypoperfusion, and the Sepsis-6 bundle (cultures, antibiotics within 1 h, IV fluids, lactate, urine output, oxygen).

What toxicology vignettes are high-yield?

Paracetamol (Rumack-Matthew nomogram, NAC dosing), tricyclic antidepressants (sodium bicarbonate for QRS ≥100 ms), beta-blocker overdose (glucagon, high-dose insulin), and opioid (naloxone titration, watch for re-narcotisation).

How is trauma primary survey assessed?

ATLS-style ABCDE: Airway with C-spine control, Breathing with high-flow O₂, Circulation with two large-bore IV lines and tranexamic acid within 3 h, Disability (GCS, pupils, glucose), Exposure (full undress + warm).

How many emergency MCQs are free?

Five sample emergency MCQs with explanations on this page. The full 150+ bank unlocks with a free Mostly Medicine account.