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100+ Free Arab Board Family Medicine Part 1 Practice Questions

Pass your Arab Board of Health Specializations (ABHS) Family Medicine Part 1 Written Examination exam on the first try — instant access, no signup required.

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Sample Arab Board Family Medicine Part 1 Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to test your Arab Board Family Medicine Part 1 exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1A 54-year-old man attends for a routine review. His clinic blood pressure is 158/96 mmHg, confirmed on a second visit. He has no diabetes, no chronic kidney disease and a 10-year cardiovascular risk of 12%. Apart from lifestyle advice, which first-line antihypertensive is most appropriate?
A.Atenolol
B.Amlodipine
C.Doxazosin
D.Spironolactone
Explanation: For a patient older than 55 (or of African/Caribbean origin) without diabetes, a calcium-channel blocker such as amlodipine is the recommended first-line agent. ACE inhibitors/ARBs are first-line in those under 55 or with diabetes. Beta-blockers and alpha-blockers are not first-line.
2A 61-year-old woman with type 2 diabetes has an HbA1c of 8.6% (70 mmol/mol) on maximal metformin. She has established heart failure with reduced ejection fraction. Which add-on therapy provides the best combined glycaemic and cardiac benefit?
A.Glibenclamide
B.Pioglitazone
C.Empagliflozin
D.Sitagliptin
Explanation: An SGLT2 inhibitor such as empagliflozin lowers HbA1c, promotes weight loss and has strong evidence for reducing heart-failure hospitalisation and cardiovascular death. It is the preferred add-on in a diabetic patient with established heart failure.
3A 45-year-old man with no prior cardiovascular disease has a calculated 10-year atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk of 18% and an LDL-cholesterol of 4.1 mmol/L. After lifestyle counselling, what is the most appropriate next step?
A.Start a high-intensity statin
B.Start ezetimibe monotherapy
C.Start a fibrate
D.Repeat the lipid panel in 5 years with no medication
Explanation: A 10-year ASCVD risk of 18% places him in the high-risk group, where guidelines recommend initiating statin therapy for primary prevention. A high-intensity statin such as atorvastatin is appropriate to achieve a substantial LDL reduction.
4A 30-year-old woman presents with a 3-week history of low mood, anhedonia, poor sleep, reduced appetite and difficulty concentrating, with no suicidal ideation and no psychotic features. Her symptoms cause clear functional impairment. What is the most appropriate first-line pharmacological treatment?
A.Amitriptyline
B.Sertraline
C.Diazepam
D.Quetiapine
Explanation: An SSRI such as sertraline is first-line pharmacotherapy for moderate major depressive disorder because of its favourable efficacy and safety profile. Psychological therapy may be offered alone or in combination depending on severity and preference.
5A 6-year-old boy is brought in with a barking cough, hoarse voice and inspiratory stridor that began overnight. He is alert, has mild stridor only when upset and no drooling. What is the most appropriate initial management?
A.A single dose of oral dexamethasone
B.Intravenous ceftriaxone
C.Nebulised salbutamol
D.Urgent intubation
Explanation: This is classic mild croup (laryngotracheobronchitis). A single dose of oral dexamethasone reduces symptom severity and the need for return visits, and is recommended even in mild cases. Nebulised adrenaline is added for moderate-to-severe stridor at rest.
6A 26-year-old woman who is 8 weeks pregnant attends for her first antenatal visit. Which supplement should be recommended to reduce the risk of fetal neural tube defects?
A.Vitamin A
B.Folic acid
C.Vitamin E
D.Iron only
Explanation: Folic acid 400 micrograms daily, ideally started before conception and continued through the first trimester, reduces the risk of neural tube defects. Women at higher risk are advised to take a higher dose of 5 mg.
7A 68-year-old man on amlodipine, ramipril, metformin, omeprazole, citalopram and tramadol is brought in confused. He takes several over-the-counter medicines too. Which principle best guides safe prescribing in this polypharmacy scenario?
A.Add a new drug to treat each new symptom
B.Review and deprescribe medicines without a clear ongoing indication
C.Stop all medications immediately
D.Continue all medicines indefinitely to avoid disruption
Explanation: Structured medication review to identify and deprescribe drugs lacking a clear ongoing indication reduces adverse drug events and interactions in older adults. Tools such as STOPP/START help target potentially inappropriate medicines.
8A 22-year-old man presents with an acutely painful, red right eye, photophobia and blurred vision after a foreign body sensation while grinding metal without eye protection. There is no purulent discharge. What is the most appropriate immediate action?
A.Prescribe topical antibiotic and review in a week
B.Examine with fluorescein staining and consider urgent ophthalmology referral
C.Reassure and advise warm compresses
D.Start oral aciclovir
Explanation: Painful red eye with photophobia after grinding metal raises concern for a corneal foreign body, abrasion or penetrating injury. Fluorescein staining helps identify epithelial defects, and urgent ophthalmology referral is needed if a foreign body or globe injury is suspected.
9A 50-year-old woman with type 2 diabetes is being screened for complications. Which test is most appropriate for detecting early diabetic nephropathy?
A.Serum creatinine alone
B.Urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio
C.24-hour urine output
D.Renal ultrasound
Explanation: The urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio detects moderately increased albuminuria (formerly microalbuminuria), the earliest marker of diabetic kidney disease, before serum creatinine rises. Annual screening is recommended in type 2 diabetes.
10A 35-year-old woman has had a poorly controlled asthma with daytime symptoms most days and night-time waking once weekly despite using a short-acting beta-agonist as needed. According to current step-wise asthma management, what is the most appropriate next step?
A.Continue reliever alone and review
B.Add a regular low-dose inhaled corticosteroid (or ICS-formoterol)
C.Start oral prednisolone long term
D.Add a long-acting beta-agonist without an inhaled corticosteroid
Explanation: Symptoms on most days with night waking indicate inadequate control on a reliever alone. Introducing regular inhaled corticosteroid therapy (or low-dose ICS-formoterol) is the next step, as anti-inflammatory treatment is the cornerstone of asthma control.

About the Arab Board Family Medicine Part 1 Exam

The Arab Board of Health Specializations (ABHS) Family Medicine Part 1 written examination is a milestone assessment for family medicine residents training across Arab League countries, including the UAE. It is a single paper of best-of-five single-best-answer MCQs in a clinical-vignette format, commonly around 150 questions over roughly 3 hours, testing applied primary-care knowledge across internal medicine, women's health, pediatrics, geriatrics, mental health, urgent presentations, prevention and evidence-based practice.

Assessment

A single written paper of best-of-five single-best-answer multiple-choice questions, commonly around 150 items, presented in a clinical-vignette format covering primary care across all ages.

Time Limit

Approximately 3 hours for the written paper.

Passing Score

No single fixed pass mark is officially published across all national councils; the written examination standard is commonly reported as around 60% (candidate-reported). Confirm the definitive standard for your sitting with your national Arab Board council.

Exam Fee

Fees are set by the Arab Board of Health Specializations and the national council in each member country and vary by country and year. Confirm the current Part 1 fee with your national office. (Arab Board of Health Specializations (ABHS), through national councils across Arab League countries including the UAE.)

Arab Board Family Medicine Part 1 Exam Content Outline

24%

Adult Internal Medicine in Primary Care

Cardiovascular, respiratory, endocrine, GI, renal and haematological problems managed in family practice.

16%

Chronic Disease Management

Diabetes, hypertension, asthma, COPD, heart failure and atrial fibrillation managed long term.

12%

Women's Health

Antenatal care, contraception, menstrual disorders, menopause, breast disease and obstetric red flags.

11%

Children and Adolescent Health

Childhood illness, neonatal problems, growth, immunisation and pediatric emergencies.

10%

Urgent and Emergency Presentations

Anaphylaxis, ACS, sepsis, surgical emergencies and heat illness in primary care.

8%

Geriatrics and Polypharmacy

Falls, dementia, delirium, osteoporosis and safe prescribing in older adults.

6%

Mental Health

Depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder and perinatal mental health.

6%

Prevention and Screening

Cancer screening, cardiovascular risk reduction, immunisation and lifestyle intervention.

5%

Focused Specialties (Dermatology, ENT, Eye, MSK)

Common skin, ENT, ocular and musculoskeletal conditions with red-flag recognition.

2%

Evidence-Based and Cost-Effective Practice

Rational testing, evidence hierarchy and antimicrobial stewardship.

How to Pass the Arab Board Family Medicine Part 1 Exam

What You Need to Know

  • Passing score: No single fixed pass mark is officially published across all national councils; the written examination standard is commonly reported as around 60% (candidate-reported). Confirm the definitive standard for your sitting with your national Arab Board council.
  • Assessment: A single written paper of best-of-five single-best-answer multiple-choice questions, commonly around 150 items, presented in a clinical-vignette format covering primary care across all ages.
  • Time limit: Approximately 3 hours for the written paper.
  • Exam fee: Fees are set by the Arab Board of Health Specializations and the national council in each member country and vary by country and year. Confirm the current Part 1 fee with your national office.

Keys to Passing

  • Complete 500+ practice questions
  • Score 80%+ consistently before scheduling
  • Focus on highest-weighted sections
  • Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

Arab Board Family Medicine Part 1 Study Tips from Top Performers

1Practise full-length timed best-of-five clinical-vignette MCQs, because the Part 1 written paper is scenario-based and reasoning under time pressure is essential.
2Anchor your revision in guideline thresholds and first-line treatments for high-frequency primary-care conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, asthma, COPD and depression.
3Do not neglect prevention, screening, prescribing safety and red-flag recognition, as these high-yield primary-care topics are easy marks and central to family medicine practice.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who administers the Arab Board Family Medicine Part 1 exam and where can I sit it?

The Arab Board of Health Specializations (ABHS) sets the family medicine curriculum and examinations, and the Part 1 written exam is held through national councils across Arab League countries, including the UAE. Confirm your sitting arrangements with your national Arab Board office.

What format and how many questions are in the Part 1 written exam?

Part 1 is a single written paper of best-of-five single-best-answer multiple-choice questions in a clinical-vignette style, commonly reported as around 150 questions over roughly 3 hours. Always confirm the exact count and timing for your sitting with your national council.

What is the passing score for the Arab Board Family Medicine Part 1 exam?

ABHS does not publish a single fixed pass mark across all councils, and the standard is commonly reported by candidates as around 60%. Treat this as approximate and confirm the definitive standard with your national Arab Board office; aim to score consistently above 70% in practice.

What topics should I prioritise for Part 1?

Prioritise applied primary care: adult internal medicine, chronic disease management (diabetes, hypertension, asthma and COPD), women's health, pediatrics, geriatrics and polypharmacy, urgent presentations, mental health, prevention and screening, and evidence-based, cost-effective testing.