The Medicine Olympiad

Recommended Textbooks:

​

Campbell Biology (Urry et al.)

Essential Cell Biology (Alberts et al.)

Textbooks on Human Physiology and Human Disease are recommended but not required.

​

USMDO Topics

 

Cell Biology & Genetics

​

1. Macromolecules

2. The Structures of the Cell

3. Cell Membrane

4. Passive and Active Transport

5. Metabolism and Enzymes

6. Cellular Respiration

7. Cell Signaling

8. Mitosis

9. Meiosis

10. Mendelian Genetics

11. Chromosomes

12. DNA

13. Replication

14. Transcription

15. Translation

16. Gene Regulation

17. Viruses

18. Bacteria

19. Biotechnology

20. Cell Death

21. Cancer

22. Stem Cells

 

Human Physiology

​

1. Organization of the Human Body

2. Homeostasis

3. The Digestive System

4. The Circulatory System

5. The Respiratory System

6. The Immune System

7. The Excretory System

8. The Endocrine System

9. The Reproductive System

10. The Nervous System

11. The Muscular System

12. The Skeletal System

13. The Integumentary System

 

Human Disease

​

1. Cancer

2. Genetic Diseases

3. Cardiovascular Diseases

4. Blood Diseases

5. Lung Diseases

6. Gastrointestinal Diseases

7. Kidney Diseases

8. Reproductive Diseases

9. Skin Diseases

10. Bone and Joint Diseases

11. Muscle Diseases

12. Nervous System Diseases

13. Endocrine System Diseases

14. Immunologic Diseases

15. Infectious Diseases

​

Sample USMDO Questions

 

Cell Biology & Genetics

​

1. Which of the following macromolecules is not a polymer?

     a. starch

     b. cellulose

     c. protein

     d. DNA

     e. phospholipid

​

2. Where are the large and small subunits of ribosomes assembled?

     a. rough endoplasmic reticulum

     b. cytosol

     c. Golgi apparatus

     d. nucleolus

     e. smooth endoplasmic reticulum

​

3. What is the motor protein that is associated with microtubules in the flagella?

     a. flagellin

     b. dynein

     c. kinesin

     d. actin

     e. myosin

​

4. The uptake of which substance into cells requires receptor-mediated endocytosis?

     a. glucose

     b. fructose

     c. LDL

     d. MHC

     e. testosterone

​

5. How many NADH molecules are produced per acetyl-CoA in the citric acid cycle?

     a. 1

     b. 2

     c. 3

     d. 4

     e. 6

​

6. Which of the following does not function as a second messenger?

     a. cAMP

     b. inositol triphosphate (IP3)

     c. diacylglycerol (DAG)

     d. sodium ion (Na+)

     e. calcium ion (Ca2+)

​

7. Which of the following is not a difference between mitosis and meiosis?

     a. separation of chromatids

     b. formation of tetrads

     c. crossing over

     d. synapsis

     e. formation of chiasmata

​

8. Which enzyme untwists the double-stranded DNA and separates the two strands?

     a. ligase

     b. primase

     c. topoisomerase

     d. DNA Polymerase

     e. helicase

​

9. What is the gel electrophoresis of mRNA followed by labeled-probe hybridization called?

     a. Southern blotting

     b. Northern blotting

     c. Western blotting

     d. Eastern blotting

     e. in situ hybridization

​

10. What is one method of gene duplication in sexual organisms?

     a. reverse transcription

     b. genomic imprinting

     c. nondisjunction

     d. translocation

     e. unequal crossing-over

 

Human Physiology

​

1. Which of the following is not a connective tissue?

     a. tendon

     b. bone

     c. blood

     d. adipose tissue

     e. glia

​

2. Which water-soluble vitamin is needed by pregnant woman to prevent birth defects?

     a. thiamine

     b. riboflavin

     c. niacin

     d. folic acid

     e. ascorbic acid

​

3. Which cell secretes pepsinogen in the stomach?

     a. parietal cell

     b. chief cell

     c. mucous cell

     d. goblet cell

     e. acinar cell

​

4. Which organ or tissue synthesizes erythropoietin, the hormone that stimulates red blood cell production?

     a. kidney

     b. liver

     c. bone marrow

     d. pancreas

     e. heart

​

5. Which is by far the major mechanism of carbon dioxide transport in the blood?

     a. bound to hemoglobin

     b. converted to bicarbonate ion and hydrogen ion

     c. dissolved in plasma

     d. as gas bubbles

     e. converted to glucose

​

6. Which of the following is not a phagocyte?

     a. neutrophil

     b. mast cell

     c. macrophage

     d. eosinophil

     e. dendritic cell

​

7. Which of the following hormone or compound has the least effect on blood pressure?

     a. cortisol

     b. epinephrine

     c. angiotensin

     d. renin

     e. aldosterone

​

8. In which structure are sperm stored after their maturation in the testes?

     a. seminiferous tubules

     b. epididymis

     c. vas deferens

     d. seminal vesicle

     e. prostate gland

​

9. Which of the following structures is or are formed from ectoderm?

     a. dermis of skin

     b. lining of digestive tract

     c. lining of respiratory tracts

     d. skeleton

     e. teeth

​

10. What is the neurotransmitter secreted by the motor neurons at the neuromuscular junction?

     a. GABA

     b. acetylcholine

     c. glutamate

     d. norepinephrine

     e. nitric oxide

 

Human Disease

​

1. Which of the following bacterial diseases does not involve a G protein?

     a. cholera

     b. tetanus

     c. pertussis

     d. botulism

     e. diarrhea caused by E. coli heat-labile enterotoxin

​

2. Which of the following is not the result of aneuploidy?

     a. Down syndrome

     b. Klinefelter syndrome

     c. William syndrome

     d. Turner syndrome

     e. Edwards syndrome

​

3. Which of the following is a proto-oncogene?

     a. ras

     b. p53

     c. p21

     d. BRCA1

     e. APC

​

4. Which hormone is involved in diabetes insipidus?

     a. insulin

     b. glucagon

     c. vasopressin

     d. thyroxine

     e. oxytocin

​

5. Which compound causes the symptoms of both inflammation and allergy?

     a. cytokine

     b. histamine

     c. pyrogen

     d. prostaglandin

     e. interferon

 

Answers:

Cell Biology & Genetics: 1 e, 2 d, 3 b, 4 c, 5 c, 6 d, 7 a, 8 e, 9 b, 10 e

Human Physiology: 1 e, 2 d, 3 b, 4 a, 5 b, 6 b, 7 a, 8 b, 9 e, 10 b

Human Disease: 1 b, 2 c, 3 a, 4 c, 5 b

​

Why You Should Compete in the USMDO

 

1. The USMDO is a national competition for bright, motivated, and ambitious high school student. We respect the intelligence, knowledge, and hard work of its participants. USMDO questions are relevant and contemporary, avoiding esoteric questions that can mystify the vast majority of high school students. These questions are crafted by current medical professionals, and are never taken from specialized college or medical school exams. Although the exams are written by M.D.s, the questions are designed solely to test knowledge and uplift high school students who have a passion for medicine.

​

2. Fairness and integrity are of the utmost importance to USMDO. Online proctoring technology minimizes cheating. Additionally, all participants must sign an agreement that stipulates severe consequences for violations.

​

3. Medical Biology is an incredibly important and relevant area of Biology. The desire to serve other humans is a noble one, which is why there is a Nobel Prize for Medicine and Physiology. 

​

4. Medicine is one of the most prestigious professions. Physicians, as a group, have by far the highest income in America. The USMDO tests fundamental knowledge essential for the study of medicine: Molecular Cell Biology & Genetics, Human Physiology, and Human Diseases. It is an excellent competition for high school students aspiring to be M.D.s and D.O.s.