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EM Resident Qbank

Emergency Medicine Question Banks

Questions

Aligned with the American Board of Emergency Medicine EM Model of Clinical Practice. Authored & peer-reviewed by faculty, clinicians, and program directors.

Each question is written to resemble the format and topics on the exam, meaning you won’t see any negatively phrased questions, no “all of the following except,” no “A and B”…you know what we mean. Most importantly, all questions include selective distractors (incorrect answer choices), which will help you think critically.

  • Must address important content
  • Must be well structured

Question

An 18-year-old man presents after having dived into a shallow pool where he struck his head on the bottom. He has tenderness over C5–C7. His cranial nerves are intact. He attempts to abduct his bilateral shoulders but is unable to. He can flex and extend his hips, knees, and ankles against gravity but is weak when an opposing force is applied. What is the most likely cause of his weakness?

A Anterior cord syndrome
B Brown-Séquard syndrome
C Cauda equina syndrome
D Central cord syndrome
Correct Answer Distractors
Hyperextension injuries of the neck (e.g., from diving) can cause abrupt osseous vertebral column injury or ligamentous disruption. When the hyperextension causes the ligamentum flavum to buckle, this can cause concussion of the central cord (i.e., central cord syndrome). Spinothalamic tracts responsible for pain and temperature sensation and pyramidal tracts responsible for motor function are typically affected. Manifestations of central cord syndrome include extremity weakness more prominent in the upper extremities than the lower extremities and the loss of pain and temperature sensation. As this is an incomplete spinal cord injury, individuals can regain sufficient motor control to ambulate and regain bowel and bladder function.

Explanations

Written with a purpose

Understanding why an answer choice is incorrect is just as important as knowing why one is correct. That’s why every Inceptestbank question includes detailed explanations for the correct and incorrect answer choices. These comprehensive summaries link the most important components of a topic—from risk factors to diagnostics and treatment—giving you the context to build relationships between them.

  • Created for optimal learning and recall
  • Help reinforce your knowledge
  • Focus on the essential information

Illustrations

Created to enhance learning

Custom illustrations and tables help further clarify the core concepts. When information is presented visually, you can focus on meaning, easily reorganize and group similar ideas, and make better use of your memory.

Powerful Analytics

Track progress, performance, & predictions

Your personal analytics allow you to see your progress at all times, so you can create an efficient and effective learning strategy and stay on pace with your plan.

Focus your learning

Deep insights to determine your strengths and weaknesses so you can spend your time on the subjects that matter

Compare with your peers

Discover how your answer choices align with those selected by learners across the country.

Find out your probability of passing

Using data generated by previous users, your Qbank gives a prediction of how likely you are to pass your exam.

One Step Further

Taking your learning to the next level

After each explanation is a straightforward question with a simple, memorizable answer that reinforces the corresponding topic.

  • Strengthens your knowledge
  • Stands alone from the main explanation so you’re not rereading content

Question

What diagnosis should be suspected in a child with neck pain after trauma and the delayed emergence of neurologic deficits, despite negative computed tomography imaging?

Reveal Answer

Central Cord Syndrome

  • Most common incomplete spinal cord syndrome
  • Hyperextension injury
  • Symptoms
    Bilateral motor and sensory deficits Upper extremity > lower extremity weakness
    Loss or change in temperature and pain sensation

Rapid Review

Keeping things simple

These bulleted reviews focus on condensed, high-yield concepts about the main topic, from patient presentation to preferred management.

  • Cover the fundamentals in one list
  • Allow you to quickly scan the must-know information

FAQs

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Attending Physician

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