Free Practice Questions for USAC Medicina Específica

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Key Facts: USAC Medicina Específica Exam

3 guides

UNADE publishes Biología-Química, Habilidad Verbal and Habilidad Numérica guides for CUM admission

UNADE, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas USAC

Q0.00

Charging for the Pruebas Específicas is prohibited by university regulation

Reglamento del SUN, artículo 55

2 years

Validity of a Prueba Específica result from its date of publication

Reglamento del SUN, artículo 43

3 PCB

USAC lists Lenguaje, Física and Química as the basic tests required for Ciencias Médicas

portal.usac.edu.gt, Pruebas Específicas

CUM zona 11

Tests are sat at the Centro Universitario Metropolitano, 9a. Avenida 9-45, Guatemala City

USAC directory and Facultad de Ciencias Médicas

Satisfactorio

Results are reported qualitatively as Satisfactorio or Insatisfactorio, with no public numeric cutoff

aspirantes.medicina.usac.edu.gt

The USAC Medicina specific admission testing at CUM is published by UNADE as three guides: a Prueba de Conocimientos Específicos covering biology and chemistry, a Prueba de Habilidad Verbal and a Prueba de Habilidad Numérica. Candidates first need a Tarjeta de Orientación Vocacional and Satisfactorio results on the PCB subjects USAC lists for this faculty — Lenguaje, Física and Química — plus a carta de promedios; biology is examined by the faculty rather than through PCB Biología. The tests are free under artículo 55 del Reglamento del SUN, results are reported as Satisfactorio or Insatisfactorio, and a pass is valid for two years. The official tests are administered in Spanish, and this 100-question bank is an English-language MCQ study adaptation of the published outlines — not an official translation, an official item count, or a simulation of the real papers.

Sample USAC Medicina Específica Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to review concepts for the USAC Medicina Específica exam. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1Which sequence lists levels of biological organization in the correct order from least to most complex?

A.Organelle, molecule, cell, organ, tissue

B.Molecule, cell, organelle, tissue, organ

C.Molecule, organelle, cell, tissue, organ

D.Cell, molecule, organelle, organ, tissue

Explanation: Biological organization is hierarchical. Atoms combine into molecules, molecules assemble into organelles, organelles are housed inside cells, cells of the same type form tissues, and tissues combine into organs. The series continues upward through organ systems, organism, population, community, ecosystem and biosphere, and each level shows emergent properties absent from the level below it.

2A salt crystal suspended in a saturated solution steadily increases in size. Which property separates a living organism from this piece of growing inanimate matter?

A.It increases in mass over time

B.It maintains a regulated internal environment using energy taken from its surroundings

C.It possesses a definite, repeating arrangement of its component particles

D.It can be divided into smaller fragments that keep the same composition

Explanation: Growth by itself does not define life: a crystal enlarges simply by depositing ions on its surface. Living systems are defined by a linked set of properties that includes capturing and transforming energy, maintaining homeostasis, responding to stimuli, and reproducing. Active, energy-consuming internal regulation is exactly what the crystal cannot do.

3Blood glucose rises after a meal, the pancreas releases insulin, tissues take up glucose, and blood glucose falls back toward its set point. This homeostatic control pattern is classified as:

A.Positive feedback

B.An open-loop response

C.Negative feedback

D.Acclimatization

Explanation: In negative feedback the response produced by a regulated variable acts to reverse the original change and return the variable toward its set point. Here the rise in glucose triggers insulin, and the effect of insulin is to lower glucose, opposing the initial deviation. Most homeostatic mechanisms in the body, including thermoregulation and blood pressure control, work this way.

4Which property of the carbon atom explains why it forms the structural backbone of nearly every biological molecule?

A.It readily gains four electrons to form a stable anion in aqueous solution

B.It has the highest electronegativity of the second-period elements

C.It occurs naturally as a diatomic gas that dissolves easily in cytoplasm

D.It has four valence electrons, so it forms four stable covalent bonds and can build long chains and rings

Explanation: Carbon has the configuration 1s2 2s2 2p6-equivalent core plus four outer electrons (1s2 2s2 2p2), giving it four valence electrons. Sharing all four produces four strong covalent bonds, which lets carbon link to other carbon atoms in straight chains, branched chains and rings while still bonding hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur and phosphorus. No other light element combines that bonding capacity with comparable bond stability.

5Water has a high specific heat capacity, a high heat of vaporization, and dissolves ionic salts readily. All three properties trace back to which single molecular feature?

A.Its low molar mass compared with other common solvents

B.Its polar covalent O-H bonds and the extensive hydrogen bonding they allow

C.The linear arrangement of its two O-H bonds

D.Its complete ionization into H+ and OH- at body temperature

Explanation: Oxygen is much more electronegative than hydrogen, so each O-H bond is polar, and the bent shape of the molecule leaves a net dipole. Neighbouring water molecules therefore attract one another through hydrogen bonds. Disrupting that network absorbs large amounts of energy, which gives water its high specific heat and heat of vaporization, and the partial charges let water surround and separate ions, dissolving salts.

6Glycogen, starch and cellulose are all polysaccharides assembled from repeating glucose units. What makes cellulose indigestible to humans while starch and glycogen are not?

A.Cellulose is built from fructose rather than from glucose

B.Cellulose is a lipid rather than a carbohydrate

C.Cellulose joins its glucose units with beta-1,4 glycosidic bonds, which human digestive enzymes cannot hydrolyse

D.Cellulose contains a nitrogen atom in every monomer, blocking enzyme access

Explanation: Human amylases and intestinal disaccharidases hydrolyse only alpha glycosidic linkages, which is the bond type found in starch and glycogen. Cellulose links its glucose residues through beta-1,4 bonds, producing straight chains that hydrogen bond into rigid fibres and that no human enzyme can cleave. Cellulose therefore passes through the gut as dietary fibre.

7Which structural feature makes the phospholipid, rather than the triglyceride, the basic building block of biological membranes?

A.It carries three fatty acid tails instead of two, giving it greater bulk

B.It is fully saturated, so it packs into a rigid impermeable sheet

C.It is a steroid built from four fused carbon rings

D.It is amphipathic: a hydrophilic phosphate head group attached to two hydrophobic fatty acid tails

Explanation: A phospholipid replaces one of the three fatty acids of a triglyceride with a phosphate-containing polar head. The molecule therefore has one water-attracting end and one water-repelling end. In water, phospholipids spontaneously arrange into a bilayer with the tails inward and the heads facing the aqueous cytosol and extracellular fluid, which is the basic architecture of every cell membrane.

8An enzyme is heated until it loses its three-dimensional shape and its catalytic activity, yet the order of its amino acids is unchanged. Which levels of protein structure have been disrupted?

A.Secondary, tertiary and quaternary structure, with primary structure preserved

B.Primary structure only

C.Primary and secondary structure only

D.Quaternary structure only, because heat cannot disturb folding within a single chain

Explanation: Primary structure is the covalent sequence of amino acids joined by peptide bonds, and peptide bonds are not broken by moderate heating. Denaturation disrupts the weaker interactions that hold the higher levels together: hydrogen bonds of the alpha helix and beta sheet, and the hydrogen bonds, ionic bonds and hydrophobic interactions of the tertiary and quaternary levels. Loss of that folded shape destroys the active site and therefore the catalytic activity.

9Which statement is one of the three fundamental postulates of the cell theory as completed by Schleiden, Schwann and Virchow?

A.Cells can arise spontaneously from non-living organic matter under favourable conditions

B.Only animals and plants are built from cells; bacteria and fungi are not

C.Every cell contains a membrane-bound nucleus that stores its genetic material

D.Every cell originates only from another, pre-existing cell

Explanation: The cell theory rests on three postulates: the cell is the basic structural unit of every living thing, the cell is the functional unit in which the organism's vital processes take place, and every cell comes from a pre-existing cell. That third postulate, summarized by Rudolf Virchow in 1855 as omnis cellula e cellula, is what finally displaced the doctrine of spontaneous generation.

10Which cellular organelle is primarily responsible for the post-translational modification, sorting, and packaging of proteins synthesized in the rough endoplasmic reticulum?

A.Peroxisome

B.Golgi apparatus (complejo de Golgi)

C.Smooth endoplasmic reticulum

D.Centrosome

Explanation: The Golgi apparatus receives transport vesicles containing newly synthesized polypeptides from the rough endoplasmic reticulum at its cis face. Within its cisternae, proteins undergo enzymatic modifications such as glycosylation and phosphorylation before being sorted and packaged into secretory or lysosomal vesicles departing from the trans face.

About the USAC Medicina Específica Exam

The Pruebas Específicas of the Facultad de Ciencias Médicas at the Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala are the faculty admission tests for the Médico y Cirujano degree, sat in person at the Centro Universitario Metropolitano (CUM) in Guatemala City.

Exam sponsor: Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala (CUM) / UNADE. The requirements and fees below concern the certification or admission exam, separate from our free practice resources.

Assessment

Specific admission testing published by UNADE in three official guides: a Prueba de Conocimientos Específicos covering the biology and chemistry subareas, a Prueba de Habilidad Verbal, and a Prueba de Habilidad Numérica.

Time Limit

Not published by the faculty. The day, time, hall and location for each candidate appear on the individual constancia de asignación.

Passing Score

Reported as Satisfactorio or Insatisfactorio on aspirantes.medicina.usac.edu.gt, with no public numeric cutoff published by the faculty.

Exam / Certification Fees

Q0.00. Artículo 55 del Reglamento del SUN prohibits charging for the Pruebas Específicas; the single Q70.00 Orientación Vocacional payment covers the whole first-entry process.

Exam sponsor website

Fees, eligibility, and exam policies can change. Confirm them with the exam sponsor before applying or paying.

Official sources

Our practice resources: topics covered

We aim to reflect publicly available exam outlines and topic information in our study resources. Coverage, format, and difficulty may differ from the actual exam, and we cannot guarantee that every detail is accurate or current. Confirm exam requirements, fees, and policies with the official exam sponsor.

Practice-bank coverage: 35 of 100 questions, weighted across the seven numbered topics of UNADE's official Biología guide.

Subárea de Biología (Biology subarea of the Prueba de Conocimientos Específicos)

Levels of organization of life and the characteristics of living things; the molecules of living beings, covering carbon and nitrogen as bioelements, the properties of water, and carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, nucleotides and nucleic acids; cell structure and function, covering cell theory, prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells, the plasma membrane, transport mechanisms and organelles; energy and cellular metabolism, covering thermodynamics, ATP, enzymes, anabolism and catabolism, glycolysis, the Krebs cycle, the electron transport chain and fermentation; cell division and reproduction through mitosis, meiosis, gamete formation and fertilization; Mendelian inheritance and sex determination; and the structure and replication of DNA.

Practice-bank coverage: 30 of 100 questions, weighted across the five numbered topics of UNADE's official Química guide.

Subárea de Química (Chemistry subarea of the Prueba de Conocimientos Específicos)

Atomic structure, covering atom, element and molecule, subatomic particles and isotopes; the periodic table, covering element symbols, periodic properties, classification of the elements, atomic and formula weight, the mole, Avogadro's number, unit conversions, electron configuration and valence electrons; nomenclature of inorganic compounds in the classical, stoichiometric and Stock systems; chemical bonding, covering ionic, covalent and metallic bonds and Lewis structures; and chemical reactions and equations, covering the parts and symbols of an equation, balancing, and identification of reaction types.

Practice-bank coverage: 35 of 100 questions — 18 verbal and 17 numerical — based on UNADE's two separately published ability guides.

Habilidad Verbal y Habilidad Numérica (Verbal and Numerical Ability)

Verbal: primitive and derived words and word families, prefixes and suffixes, homographs and homophones, polysemous words, paronyms, the three classes of synonym, the three classes of antonym, and continuous, alternate and incomplete analogies. Numerical: number sets, operations with real numbers, ratios, proportions and percentages, numerical series, powers and the laws of exponents, radicals, the order of operations with grouping symbols, divisors, multiples, primes, divisibility rules, least common multiple and greatest common divisor, and equations in one unknown.

Preparing for the USAC Medicina Específica Exam

What You Need to Know

Passing score: Reported as Satisfactorio or Insatisfactorio on aspirantes.medicina.usac.edu.gt, with no public numeric cutoff published by the faculty.
Assessment: Specific admission testing published by UNADE in three official guides: a Prueba de Conocimientos Específicos covering the biology and chemistry subareas, a Prueba de Habilidad Verbal, and a Prueba de Habilidad Numérica.
Time limit: Not published by the faculty. The day, time, hall and location for each candidate appear on the individual constancia de asignación.
Exam / certification fees: Q0.00. Artículo 55 del Reglamento del SUN prohibits charging for the Pruebas Específicas; the single Q70.00 Orientación Vocacional payment covers the whole first-entry process. Official sources

Using Our Practice Resources

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USAC Medicina Específica: Suggested Study Strategy

1Work directly from UNADE's Biología guide topic by topic; it is numbered one to seven and tells you exactly how far the faculty expects you to go, which keeps you from over-studying material that is not assessed.

2For cellular respiration, be able to name the stages in order and say where each happens: glycolysis in the cytosol, the Krebs cycle in the mitochondrial matrix, and the electron transport chain on the inner mitochondrial membrane.

3The chemistry guide stops at balancing and reaction types, so prioritise nomenclature, Lewis structures, the mole and unit conversions rather than advanced stoichiometry, solution chemistry or pH.

4Practise inorganic nomenclature in all three systems the guide names — classical, stoichiometric and Stock — because a single compound can be asked for under any of them.

5For habilidad verbal, study the Spanish lexicon categories the guide lists: word families, prefixes and suffixes, homographs and homophones, paronyms such as infringir and infligir, and the three classes each of synonym and antonym.

6Learn the three analogy formats the verbal guide sets out — continuous, alternate and incomplete — since in an incomplete analogy the order in which the answer pair is written decides whether it is right.

7For habilidad numérica, drill the arithmetic the guide names: order of operations with grouping symbols, least common multiple and greatest common divisor, divisibility rules, laws of exponents, radicals, and equations in one unknown.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the USAC Medicina Prueba Específica at CUM?

It is the faculty admission testing administered by the Facultad de Ciencias Médicas at the Centro Universitario Metropolitano (CUM) of the Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala, for candidates applying to the Médico y Cirujano degree programme.

Which basic tests (PCB) must be passed before sitting the CUM specific tests?

Candidates need a valid Tarjeta de Orientación Vocacional (NOV) and a Satisfactorio result on the PCB subjects that USAC lists for this faculty: Lenguaje, Física and Química. A carta de promedios from the candidate's school is also listed as a mandatory requirement. Biology is examined by the faculty itself rather than through PCB Biología.

What subjects and topics are evaluated?

UNADE publishes three official guides: a Guía temática for the Prueba de Conocimientos Específicos covering the biology and chemistry subareas, a Guía de contenido for the Prueba de Habilidad Verbal, and a Guía de contenido for the Prueba de Habilidad Numérica. The biology guide lists seven numbered topics and the chemistry guide five, each with a suggested bibliography.

What is the passing score for the USAC Medicina specific test?

Results are published as Satisfactorio or Insatisfactorio on the aspirantes.medicina.usac.edu.gt portal. The faculty does not publish a numeric cutoff, and figures circulating online for USAC admission should not be assumed to apply to these faculty tests.

How much does the USAC Medicina Prueba Específica cost?

There is no fee. Artículo 55 del Reglamento del Sistema de Ubicación y Nivelación (SUN) prohibits any charge for both the basic and the specific admission tests, including the materials required to sit them. USAC states that the single Q70.00 Orientación Vocacional payment covers the complete first-entry process.

How long is a Prueba Específica result valid?

Under artículo 43 del Reglamento del SUN, a satisfactory result on a USAC Prueba Específica is valid for two years from the date of its publication.

Where and how is the examination administered?

Assignment is completed online at aspirantes.medicina.usac.edu.gt, uploading a scanned DPI, passport or photo birth certificate and a certificado de cursos from the Ministerio de Educación. The tests themselves are sat in person at the Centro Universitario Metropolitano (CUM), 9a. Avenida 9-45, zona 11, Guatemala City, at the day, time, hall and location printed on the constancia de asignación.

Is this practice question bank an official USAC publication?

No. This bank is an independent English-language MCQ study adaptation developed by OpenExamPrep from UNADE's published guías temáticas. The real tests are administered in Spanish by the Facultad de Ciencias Médicas. The bank keeps the official Spanish terminology where it matters, and the verbal questions deliberately use Spanish vocabulary because Spanish lexicon is the skill the official verbal guide tests, but this is not an official translation and not a reproduction of live examination papers.