Physiology (Papers 1 & 2)
Make physiological regulation visible through cause-and-effect flowcharts, feedback loops, and graph transitions rather than isolated memorized facts.
A focused guide for planning your study. Follow the current syllabus and teaching guidance from your own institution when deciding what to cover.
What to keep in view
High-Yield Exam Topics & Competencies
A working method
Recommended Focus
Mechanism Flowcharts: 45% | Curve Reproduction: 35% | Clinical Correlates: 20%
Construct every physiological mechanism as a closed regulatory loop: stimulus, receptor, afferent pathway, integrating center, efferent response, and effector organ. For every physiological graph (e.g. Wiggers cardiac cycle, Frank-Starling curves, O2-Hb dissociation, spirometry flow-volume loops), write explicit physical units on both axes and articulate what biological trigger shifts the curve left or right.
Ask Yourself
If an intervention or disease perturbs this loop at one point, what compensatory changes occur across the rest of the system?
Actionable Study Checklist
- 1Sketch dynamic physiological curves from memory on a blank sheet
- 2Trace both negative and positive feedback loops with arrows and chemical mediators
- 3Explain clinical consequences of receptor blockage or hormonal excess/deficiency
- 4Solve 3 clinical vignette questions connecting symptoms to abnormal lab values
Common Pitfalls & Examiner Red Flags
- !Drawing curves without explicit units or labels on the X and Y axes
- !Confusing immediate reflex adjustments (e.g. baroreceptor reflex) with long-term hormonal compensation (RAAS)
- !Failing to connect normal physiological regulation to pathophysiological states like shock or respiratory failure