Free Practice Questions for FMRDA Medicine Admission

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Key Facts: FMRDA Medicine Admission Exam

3 days

Written testing schedule across consecutive days: Portuguese, Chemistry, and Biology

FMRDA Academic Notice

1986

Founding year of FMRDA under bilateral Guinea-Bissau and Cuba medical cooperation

FMRDA Institutional Archive

July 2025

Formal completion of FMRDA's integration as an organic unit into Universidade Amílcar Cabral

Universidade Amílcar Cabral

Ano Zero

Entrance testing selects candidates directly into the Curso Pré-Médico preparatory program

Anais do IHMT (Sá Guerreiro et al., 2022)

12.º ano

Completion of 12th year secondary schooling required for admission eligibility

FMRDA Admission Guidelines

média ≥15/20

Documented preparatory-year average required to advance into the Licenciatura em Medicina

Anais do IHMT (2022) / WHO HRH report (2008)

The FMRDA Teste de Admissão is a three-day competitive written entrance examination sat across consecutive days in Língua Portuguesa, Química, and Biologia for entry into the Curso Pré-Médico (Ano Zero) at the Faculdade de Medicina Raúl Díaz Argüelles García in Bissau (integrated into Universidade Amílcar Cabral in July 2025). Candidates require completion of 12th-grade secondary education and historically must be under 25 years old. Progression from the preparatory year into the Licenciatura em Medicina is then governed by a documented academic threshold of média 15/20 or higher. The official examination is administered in Portuguese, and the faculty publishes no edital giving item counts, paper durations, fees, or a pass mark. This 100-question bank is an English-language MCQ study adaptation covering the three examined subjects — retaining authentic Portuguese phrasing and answer choices for the language paper — and is not an official translation or a reproduction of the real papers.

Sample FMRDA Medicine Admission Practice Questions

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

1According to the Oparin-Haldane hypothesis, which atmospheric conditions were essential for the prebiotic synthesis of organic molecules on the primitive Earth?

A.A strongly oxidizing atmosphere rich in molecular oxygen (O2) and ozone (O3)

B.A reducing atmosphere composed of methane, ammonia, hydrogen, and water vapor in the absence of free oxygen

C.An atmosphere dominated by inert noble gases with high concentrations of atmospheric nitrogen and carbon dioxide

D.A highly chlorofluorocarbon-saturated atmosphere shielded by a dense stratospheric ozone layer

Explanation: The Oparin-Haldane chemical evolution hypothesis states that Earth's primitive atmosphere was strongly reducing and lacked free molecular oxygen (O2). In the presence of energy sources such as lightning, volcanic heat, and solar ultraviolet radiation, simple inorganic molecules (CH4, NH3, H2, and H2O vapor) reacted to form the first prebiotic organic building blocks, such as amino acids and nucleotides.

2Which physicochemical property of water accounts for its high specific heat capacity and its critical role in cellular thermal regulation?

A.The low dielectric constant that prevents ionic solute dissociation in the cytosol

B.The presence of covalent nonpolar bonds between hydrogen and oxygen atoms

C.The formation of an extensive, dynamic network of intermolecular hydrogen bonds between polar water molecules

D.The rapid vaporization of water at ambient temperatures without energy input

Explanation: Water is a polar molecule in which the electronegative oxygen atom forms transient hydrogen bonds with electropositive hydrogen atoms of neighboring molecules. A large amount of thermal energy is absorbed to disrupt these intermolecular hydrogen bonds before kinetic energy and temperature increase, granting water an exceptionally high specific heat capacity that buffers biological systems against abrupt temperature shifts.

3Why do phospholipid molecules spontaneously assemble into a stable bilayer in an aqueous physiological environment?

A.They are strictly hydrophobic compounds that maximize interactions with surrounding water molecules

B.They possess positively charged hydrocarbon chains that electrostatically attract extracellular cations

C.They form permanent covalent bonds between the glycerol backbones of opposing monolayers

D.They are amphipathic molecules with hydrophilic polar heads that face water and hydrophobic fatty acid tails that sequester inward

Explanation: Phospholipids are amphipathic macromolecules possessing a charged, hydrophilic phosphate head group and two nonpolar, hydrophobic fatty acyl tails. When placed in an aqueous solution, the hydrophobic effect drives the nonpolar tails to cluster together away from water, while the polar heads orient toward the intracellular and extracellular aqueous compartments, forming a thermodynamically stable bilayer.

4How does the structural arrangement of cellulose differ from that of glycogen, explaining why humans cannot digest dietary cellulose?

A.Cellulose consists of beta-1,4-glycosidic bonds forming linear unbranched fibrils, whereas glycogen consists of alpha-1,4-bonds with alpha-1,6-branches

B.Cellulose is composed entirely of fructose subunits, whereas glycogen is composed of glucose monomers

C.Cellulose has frequent alpha-1,6 branches every 4 glucose units, whereas glycogen forms completely unbranched sheets

D.Cellulose contains peptide cross-links between carbohydrate chains that human proteases cannot cleave

Explanation: Cellulose is an unbranched polymer of D-glucose linked by beta-1,4-glycosidic bonds, enabling adjacent parallel chains to form tight, crystalline hydrogen-bonded microfibrils. Glycogen is an animal storage polysaccharide containing alpha-1,4-glycosidic linear chains with alpha-1,6-glycosidic branch points every 8 to 12 residues. The human digestive tract secretes alpha-amylase, which hydrolyzes alpha-1,4 bonds, but lacks cellulase to hydrolyze beta-1,4 linkages.

5When a protein undergoes thermal denaturation, which level of its structural organization remains intact?

A.Quaternary structure

B.Tertiary structure

C.Secondary structure

D.Primary structure

Explanation: Thermal denaturation disrupts the weak non-covalent interactions (hydrogen bonds, ionic bonds, hydrophobic interactions) that hold a polypeptide in its secondary, tertiary, and quaternary conformations. The primary structure, which is the sequence of amino acids joined by covalent peptide bonds, is unaffected by heat: breaking peptide bonds requires chemical or enzymatic hydrolysis, not a rise in temperature.

6The RNA world hypothesis proposes that early primordial life relied on RNA rather than DNA or proteins. Which experimental discovery provides the strongest evidence for this model?

A.RNA contains thymine rather than uracil, making it chemically more stable than DNA

B.Ribozymes are catalytic RNA molecules capable of both storing genetic sequence information and catalyzing chemical reactions

C.RNA is always double-stranded and resistant to spontaneous alkaline hydrolysis

D.RNA polymerases do not require an existing template strand to synthesize messenger RNA

Explanation: The discovery of ribozymes demonstrated that RNA molecules can act as biochemical catalysts (such as in peptidyl transferase activity during translation) while simultaneously carrying nucleotide sequence information. This dual property resolved the evolutionary 'chicken-and-egg' dilemma of whether genetic material or catalytic enzymes arose first, providing robust support for an ancestral RNA world.

7In a laboratory assay the enzyme concentration is held constant while the substrate concentration is raised progressively. The reaction rate increases at first, then levels off at a constant maximum value no matter how much more substrate is added. What accounts for this plateau?

A.The product that accumulates chemically destroys the enzyme, permanently removing it from the assay

B.The enzyme is consumed as a reactant, so the quantity of enzyme falls as the reaction proceeds

C.The excess substrate lowers the pH of the medium below the enzyme's optimum and denatures it

D.Every active site is occupied at any given instant, so the enzyme is saturated and cannot bind additional substrate

Explanation: An enzyme binds its substrate at a limited number of active sites. While active sites are still free, adding substrate increases the frequency of enzyme-substrate encounters and the rate rises roughly in proportion to substrate concentration. Once substrate is abundant enough that each active site is re-occupied as soon as it is vacated, the enzyme is saturated: the rate is then limited only by how fast each enzyme molecule can convert bound substrate into product, so further substrate produces no increase.

8Which cellular feature is present in both prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms?

A.Endoplasmic reticulum

B.Nuclear envelope with pore complexes

C.Ribosomes

D.Mitochondria

Explanation: Ribosomes are non-membrane-bound ribonucleoprotein complexes responsible for protein synthesis and are present in all living cells, both prokaryotic (70S ribosomes) and eukaryotic (80S cytoplasmic ribosomes). Endoplasmic reticulum, nuclear envelopes, and mitochondria are membrane-bound organelles restricted to eukaryotic cells.

9What is the primary function of the nucleolus within the eukaryotic nucleus?

A.Transcription of ribosomal RNA (rRNA) and assembly of ribosomal subunits

B.Replication of circular mitochondrial plasmid DNA

C.Synthesis of steroid hormones and neutral lipids

D.Degradation of misfolded cytoplasmic polypeptides

Explanation: The nucleolus is a prominent non-membrane-bound subnuclear compartment organized around nucleolar organizer regions (NORs) of chromosomes. Its primary role is the transcription and processing of precursor ribosomal RNA (rRNA) molecules and their assembly with imported ribosomal proteins to form the 40S and 60S preribosomal subunits.

10Which organelle is characterized by flattened cisternae studded with membrane-bound ribosomes and specializes in the synthesis and initial glycosylation of secretory proteins?

A.Smooth endoplasmic reticulum

B.Centrosome

C.Peroxisome

D.Rough endoplasmic reticulum

Explanation: The rough endoplasmic reticulum (RER) is composed of flattened membranous sacs (cisternae) decorated with ribosomes on its cytosolic surface. It is the principal site for the co-translational translocation, folding, disulfide bond formation, and N-linked glycosylation of proteins destined for secretion, incorporation into the plasma membrane, or delivery to lysosomes.

About the FMRDA Medicine Admission Exam

The Teste de Admissão at the Faculdade de Medicina Raúl Díaz Argüelles García (FMRDA) is the official competitive entrance examination for admission into the Curso Pré-Médico (Ano Zero) at Guinea-Bissau's national medical faculty, an organic unit of the Universidade Amílcar Cabral (UAC) operated in partnership with the Brigada Médica Cubana.

Exam sponsor: Faculdade de Medicina Raúl Díaz Argüelles García / Universidade Amílcar Cabral (UAC). The requirements and fees below concern the certification or admission exam, separate from our free practice resources.

Assessment

Three written examination papers sat on three consecutive days: Day 1 Língua Portuguesa, Day 2 Química, and Day 3 Biologia, for admission into the Curso Pré-Médico (Ano Zero).

Time Limit

Not published. Three written examination papers are administered across three consecutive examination days.

Passing Score

Not published. Admission to the Curso Pré-Médico is competitive and merit-based according to candidate rankings across the three papers.

Exam / Certification Fees

Not published by the faculty or Universidade Amílcar Cabral.

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.

35% of practice bank (35 questions)

Biologia (Pre-University Biology)

Covers life origins and chemical foundations, cytology, cell membrane structure and transport, bioenergetics, mitosis, meiosis, Mendelian genetics, molecular genetics (DNA replication, transcription, and translation), and human digestive, circulatory, respiratory, excretory, and nervous systems.

35% of practice bank (35 questions)

Química (General, Inorganic, and Organic Chemistry)

Covers atomic models and electron configurations, periodic classification and periodic properties, ionic and covalent chemical bonding, stoichiometry and the mole concept, chemical reactions and solutions, acid-base equilibrium, and organic chemistry functional groups and reactions.

30% of practice bank (30 questions)

Língua Portuguesa (Portuguese Language & Text Analysis)

Covers text comprehension and contextual interpretation, syntax of coordination and subordination, cohesive devices, pronominalization (clitic pronoun placement rules: próclise, mesóclise, and ênclise, and direct/indirect object pronoun substitutions), and lexical semantics (synonyms, antonyms, hypernyms, hyponyms, paronyms, and polysemy).

Preparing for the FMRDA Medicine Admission Exam

What You Need to Know

Passing score: Not published. Admission to the Curso Pré-Médico is competitive and merit-based according to candidate rankings across the three papers.
Assessment: Three written examination papers sat on three consecutive days: Day 1 Língua Portuguesa, Day 2 Química, and Day 3 Biologia, for admission into the Curso Pré-Médico (Ano Zero).
Time limit: Not published. Three written examination papers are administered across three consecutive examination days.
Exam / certification fees: Not published by the faculty or Universidade Amílcar Cabral. Official sources

Using Our Practice Resources

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FMRDA Medicine Admission: Suggested Study Strategy

1Review the three examined areas systematically: dedicate focused study sessions to Biology cell mechanisms and genetics, Chemistry stoichiometry and organic nomenclature, and Portuguese grammatical structures.

2For Biologia, ensure solid mastery of cytology (organelle functions, passive vs. active membrane transport) and the differences between mitosis and meiosis.

3For Química, practice mole conversions, reaction balancing, and recognizing functional groups (alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, carboxylic acids, and amines).

4For Língua Portuguesa, drill clitic pronoun placement rules in European/African Portuguese: identify proclitic triggers (negative words, subordinate conjunctions, indefinite pronouns) vs. default enclitic placement, and practice direct/indirect pronominal substitutions (o/a, lo/la, no/na, lhe/lhes).

5Understand semantic distinctions in Portuguese: ensure clear differentiation between paronyms (words similar in sound/spelling but different in meaning) and homonyms (homophones and homographs).

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the FMRDA Teste de Admissão in Guinea-Bissau?

It is the competitive written entrance examination administered by the Faculdade de Medicina Raúl Díaz Argüelles García (FMRDA) — an organic faculty of the Universidade Amílcar Cabral (UAC) run in cooperation with the Cuban Medical Mission — for selection of students into the preparatory Curso Pré-Médico (Ano Zero).

What subjects are examined in the FMRDA entrance test?

The examination spans three consecutive days with one dedicated subject paper per day: Língua Portuguesa on Day 1, Química on Day 2, and Biologia on Day 3.

How does admission to the Licenciatura em Medicina work after the entrance exam?

Passing the Teste de Admissão admits students to the Curso Pré-Médico (Ano Zero). Progression from the preparatory year into the first year of the full medical degree (Licenciatura em Medicina) is governed by a second, separate academic gate: published studies of medical training in Guinea-Bissau (WHO human-resources-for-health reporting and Sá Guerreiro et al., Anais do IHMT, 2022) document a required overall average (média) of at least 15 out of 20, with candidates below that threshold redirected to nursing. The faculty does not publish this rule itself, so confirm the current requirement with the FMRDA secretariat.

What are the eligibility requirements to sit the examination?

Applicants must have completed secondary education (12.º ano de escolaridade) in natural sciences or an equivalent accredited curriculum and historically must be younger than 25 years old at the time of application.

In what language is the real FMRDA entrance examination conducted?

The official examination is conducted in Portuguese. This 100-question practice bank is an independent English-language MCQ study adaptation designed for learning and self-assessment; the Portuguese Language section retains original Portuguese passages, grammatical terms, and answer options to preserve authentic language evaluation, accompanied by English explanations.

Is this practice bank an official publication of FMRDA or UAC?

No. This question bank is an independent educational study aid created by OpenExamPrep based on published curricula from FMRDA, UAC, and the Brigada Médica Cubana. It is neither affiliated with nor endorsed by FMRDA or Universidade Amílcar Cabral.