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Key Facts: Iran Medical Basic Sciences Exam Exam

200

Total four-option multiple-choice questions on the official national milestone examination

Sanjesh Pezeshki official exam regulations

200 min

Total examination duration, allowing exactly 60 seconds per question

Sanjesh Pezeshki official exam regulations

Negative marking score penalty: incorrect answers do not deduct marks

Ministry of Health and Medical Education exam guidelines

70% of Top 5%

Formula for the dynamic qualifying threshold (hadd-e nesab) based on top national examinees

Supreme Council for Medical Education Planning

2 times/yr

National administration frequency, traditionally held in late summer (Shahrivar) and late winter (Esfand)

Sanjesh Pezeshki annual examination calendar

The Iranian Comprehensive Basic Sciences Medical Exam is a mandatory 200-question, 200-minute national milestone examination administered by Sanjesh Pezeshki with no negative marking. Passing requires meeting a qualifying threshold (hadd-e nesab) of 70% of the mean score of the top 5% of national examinees to advance from pre-clinical studies into clinical training.

Sample Iran Medical Basic Sciences Exam Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to review concepts for the Iran Medical Basic Sciences Exam exam. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1A 24-year-old man sustains a laceration across the anterior wrist superficial to the flexor retinaculum, located between the tendons of flexor carpi radialis and flexor carpi ulnaris. Which structure is most vulnerable to transection at this superficial position?

A.Palmaris longus tendon

B.Median nerve

C.Ulnar artery

D.Flexor digitorum superficialis tendon

Explanation: The palmaris longus tendon passes superficial to the flexor retinaculum to insert into the palmar aponeurosis, making it the most exposed structure in superficial wrist lacerations between flexor carpi radialis and flexor carpi ulnaris. The median nerve lies immediately deep to this tendon within the carpal tunnel.

2A midshaft fracture of the humerus is most likely to injure which nerve and cause which characteristic functional motor deficit?

A.Axillary nerve causing loss of shoulder abduction beyond 15 degrees

B.Radial nerve causing wrist drop and inability to extend the metacarpophalangeal joints

C.Median nerve causing loss of thumb opposition and ape hand deformity

D.Ulnar nerve causing claw hand deformity and hypothenar atrophy

Explanation: The radial nerve runs in the radial (spiral) groove directly along the posterior aspect of the humeral shaft alongside the profunda brachii artery. Fractures of the humeral midshaft commonly cause traction or laceration of the radial nerve, resulting in wrist drop due to denervation of the wrist and finger extensors.

3Which boundary forms the medial wall of the femoral canal within the femoral sheath?

A.Femoral vein

B.Inguinal ligament

C.Lacunar ligament

D.Pectineus muscle and its fascia

Explanation: The femoral canal is bounded laterally by the femoral vein, anteriorly by the inguinal ligament, posteriorly by the pectineal ligament and pectineus fascia, and medially by the curved free margin of the lacunar (Gimbernat's) ligament. Recognizing this boundary is clinically vital when releasing a strangulated femoral hernia.

4An athlete experiences trauma to the lateral aspect of the knee and presents with foot drop and numbness over the dorsum of the foot. Which nerve is injured?

A.Tibial nerve

B.Saphenous nerve

C.Deep fibular nerve alone at the ankle

D.Common fibular nerve

Explanation: The common fibular (peroneal) nerve winds superficially around the subcutaneous neck of the fibula, where it is highly vulnerable to blunt trauma or fractures. Denervation impairs both deep fibular (anterior compartment ankle dorsiflexors) and superficial fibular branches (lateral compartment everters and dorsal cutaneous sensation), causing characteristic foot drop and sensory loss over the foot dorsum.

5During a subfascial dissection of the posterior triangle of the neck, which nerve is encountered crossing beneath the investing layer of deep cervical fascia between the sternocleidomastoid and trapezius muscles?

A.Phrenic nerve

B.Spinal accessory nerve

C.Greater occipital nerve

D.Suprascapular nerve

Explanation: Cranial nerve XI (spinal accessory nerve) emerges from the posterior border of the sternocleidomastoid muscle at Erb's point and courses obliquely across the posterior triangle within its fascial roof to supply the trapezius muscle. Its superficial position exposes it to iatrogenic injury during lymph node biopsies.

6Which structure traverses the foramen spinosum of the sphenoid bone?

A.Mandibular division of the trigeminal nerve

B.Internal carotid artery and sympathetic plexus

C.Middle meningeal artery

D.Maxillary nerve

Explanation: The foramen spinosum transmits the middle meningeal artery (a branch of the maxillary artery) and the meningeal branch of the mandibular nerve (nervus spinosus) into the middle cranial fossa. Rupture of this vessel from temporal skull trauma classically leads to epidural hematoma.

7A patient with hoarseness following a subtotal thyroidectomy is found to have an immobilized vocal fold in the paramedian position. Which nerve was inadvertently damaged?

A.Superior laryngeal nerve internal branch

B.Superior laryngeal nerve external branch

C.Glossopharyngeal nerve

D.Recurrent laryngeal nerve

Explanation: The recurrent laryngeal nerve ascends in the tracheoesophageal groove in close proximity to the inferior thyroid artery and innervates all intrinsic muscles of the larynx except the cricothyroid. Damage results in vocal cord paralysis on the affected side, presenting as hoarseness.

8Which bronchopulmonary segment of the right lung is the most common site of aspiration pneumonia in a patient lying in the supine position?

A.Superior (apical) segment of the right lower lobe

B.Apical segment of the right upper lobe

C.Medial segment of the right middle lobe

D.Anterior basal segment of the right lower lobe

Explanation: In the supine position, gravity directs aspirated foreign material or secretions into the most dependent portion of the bronchial tree, which is the superior segment of the right lower lobe (Nelson's segment), because its bronchus branches directly posteriorly off the right bronchus intermedius.

9At which vertebral level does the thoracic duct typically cross from the right side of the posterior mediastinum behind the esophagus to the left side?

A.T2 vertebral level

B.T10 vertebral level

C.T5 vertebral level

D.L1 vertebral level

Explanation: The thoracic duct enters the thorax through the aortic hiatus of the diaphragm at T12, ascends on the right side between the azygos vein and descending aorta, and crosses over to the left side of the posterior mediastinum behind the esophagus around the T5 vertebral level (near the sternal angle).

10During a cholecystectomy, the surgeon identifies the cystohepatic triangle (triangle of Calot) to safely ligate the cystic artery. What forms the superior anatomical boundary of this triangle?

A.Common bile duct

B.Cystic duct

C.Inferior visceral surface of the liver

D.Proper hepatic artery

Explanation: In modern surgical anatomy, the hepatobiliary triangle (Calot's triangle) is bounded inferiorly by the cystic duct, medially by the common hepatic duct, and superiorly by the inferior margin of liver segment V. Identifying these boundaries avoids catastrophic transection of the common bile duct.

About the Iran Medical Basic Sciences Exam Exam

The Comprehensive Examination of Basic Medical Sciences (آزمون جامع علوم پایه پزشکی) is the mandatory national milestone examination that medical students in the Islamic Republic of Iran must pass upon completing the pre-clinical basic sciences stage (terms 1 through 5, spanning 2.5 academic years). Administered semiannually by the National Center for Health Assessment (مرکز سنجش آموزش پزشکی - Sanjesh Pezeshki) under the statutory authority of the Ministry of Health and Medical Education (MOHME), successfully passing this examination is a legal prerequisite for advancing into the clinical physiopathology and clerkship stages (Stagéri and Interni) of the Doctor of Medicine (MD) curriculum. The official examination features 200 four-option multiple-choice items administered over 200 minutes without negative marking. The blueprint encompasses eight core domains: Anatomical Sciences (Gross Anatomy, Neuroanatomy, Histology, Embryology; ~27%), Medical Physiology (~18%), Medical Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (~10%), Medical Bacteriology and Virology (~10%), Medical Parasitology, Mycology and Entomology (~8%), Medical Immunology and General Pathology (~9%), Public Health, Health Services and Epidemiology (~10%), and English for Medical Purposes (~8%). Rather than applying a fixed static percentage, the qualifying passing threshold (hadd-e nesab) is established dynamically after each sitting at 70% of the mean raw score of the top 5% of national examinees, which generally equates to a raw score between 90 and 105 out of 200. This question bank is an independent English-language multiple-choice study adaptation authored by OpenExamPrep. It offers 100 high-yield practice questions accompanied by pedagogical explanations and distractor rationales to help medical students master core foundational concepts. The official Iranian examination is conducted in Persian; this bank is neither an official translation nor a simulation of the official paper, and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Sanjesh Pezeshki.

Exam sponsor: National Center for Health Assessment / Sanjesh Pezeshki (مرکز سنجش آموزش پزشکی). The requirements and fees below concern the certification or admission exam, separate from our free practice resources.

Assessment

The examination is administered nationwide twice per academic year (typically late summer / Shahrivar and late winter / Esfand) under the supervision of the National Center for Health Assessment (Sanjesh Pezeshki). The test consists of 200 multiple-choice questions with four options per question. Unlike the university entrance exam (Konkur) or civil service exams, there is NO negative marking: candidates are encouraged to attempt every question. The qualifying threshold (hadd-e nesab) is recalculated dynamically for each sitting at 70% of the mean raw score achieved by the top 5% of examinees nationwide.

Time Limit

200 minutes

Passing Score

Qualifying threshold set at 70% of the mean score of the top 5% of national examinees

Exam / Certification Fees

Set annually by the Ministry of Health and Medical Education, payable online via sanjeshp.ir during official exam registration

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.

27%

Anatomical Sciences (علوم تشریح)

Gross anatomy of upper and lower limbs, thorax, abdomen, pelvis, perineum, and head and neck; central and peripheral neuroanatomy; general and systemic histology; and general and organ-system embryology.

18%

Medical Physiology (فیزیولوژی پزشکی)

Cellular and membrane biophysics, cardiovascular hemodynamics and electrophysiology, pulmonary mechanics and gas exchange, renal clearance and acid-base homeostasis, neurophysiology, endocrine axes, and gastrointestinal motility and digestion.

10%

Medical Biochemistry & Molecular Biology (بیوشیمی پزشکی و ژنتیک)

Enzyme kinetics, bioenergetics, carbohydrate, lipid, amino acid, and nucleotide metabolism, metabolic regulation and integration, clinical genetics, and molecular biology mechanisms.

10%

Medical Bacteriology & Virology (باکتری‌شناسی و ویروس‌شناسی پزشکی)

Bacterial structure, Gram-positive and Gram-negative pathogens, clinical infectious syndromes, antimicrobial mechanisms and resistance, viral classification, replication, and antivirals.

Medical Parasitology, Mycology & Entomology (انگل‌شناسی، قارچ‌شناسی و حشره‌شناسی)

Pathogenic protozoa (Leishmania, Toxoplasma, malaria, amoebiasis), helminths (hydatid disease, flukes, tapeworms, nematodes), superficial and deep mycoses, and medical arthropod vectors common to Iran.

Medical Immunology & General Pathology (ایمونولوژی و آسیب‌شناسی عمومی)

Innate and adaptive immunity, hypersensitivity reactions, autoimmune disorders, immunodeficiencies, cellular adaptation and necrosis, acute and chronic inflammation, wound healing, and carcinogenesis.

10%

Principles of Public Health, Health Services & Epidemiology (اصول خدمات بهداشتی و اپیدمیولوژی)

Epidemiological study designs, screening validity and reliability, primary health care (PHC) and the Behvarz rural health house system in Iran, maternal and child health, immunization schedules, and environmental health.

English for Medical Purposes / ESP (زبان تخصصی پزشکی)

Prefixes, roots, and suffixes of Greco-Latin medical terminology, clinical vocabulary in context, and reading comprehension of specialized biomedical texts.

Preparing for the Iran Medical Basic Sciences Exam Exam

What You Need to Know

Passing score: Qualifying threshold set at 70% of the mean score of the top 5% of national examinees
Assessment: The examination is administered nationwide twice per academic year (typically late summer / Shahrivar and late winter / Esfand) under the supervision of the National Center for Health Assessment (Sanjesh Pezeshki). The test consists of 200 multiple-choice questions with four options per question. Unlike the university entrance exam (Konkur) or civil service exams, there is NO negative marking: candidates are encouraged to attempt every question. The qualifying threshold (hadd-e nesab) is recalculated dynamically for each sitting at 70% of the mean raw score achieved by the top 5% of examinees nationwide.
Time limit: 200 minutes
Exam / certification fees: Set annually by the Ministry of Health and Medical Education, payable online via sanjeshp.ir during official exam registration Official sources

Using Our Practice Resources

Work through all 100 available questions
Review every answer and explanation
Track weak areas and revisit them
Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

Iran Medical Basic Sciences Exam: Suggested Study Strategy

1Prioritize Anatomical Sciences and Physiology, which together account for approximately 45% of the entire 200-question blueprint: master neuroanatomy pathways, limb innervation, cardiac electrophysiology, and renal clearance mechanisms early.

2Leverage the absence of negative marking: never leave an item blank on exam day, and eliminate definitely incorrect distractors before making your best educated choice.

3Review the Iranian Primary Health Care (PHC) structure and national immunization schedules thoroughly; the public health section frequently tests specific features of the Behvarz health house network and national preventive programs.

4Dedicate daily practice to English for Medical Purposes (ESP): 16 questions on the national exam test medical terminology and reading passages, offering reliable points for students with consistent medical vocabulary review.

5Note that this OpenExamPrep resource is an independent English-language study adaptation intended for conceptual mastery; complement your preparation with standard Persian-language past examination booklets (Daftarcheh Azmoon) released by Sanjesh Pezeshki.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Comprehensive Basic Sciences Medical Exam (Azmoon Jame Oloom Payeh Pezeshki)?

It is the mandatory nationwide milestone examination administered by Sanjesh Pezeshki at the conclusion of the 5th semester (end of pre-clinical basic sciences) for medical students in Iran. Passing it is legally required to transition into the clinical physiopathology and clerkship stages of medical school.

How many questions are on the official exam and how long is the test?

The official exam consists of exactly 200 four-option multiple-choice questions administered in a single continuous session lasting 200 minutes (1 minute per question).

Is there negative marking on the Iranian Basic Sciences Medical Exam?

No. Unlike the Konkur university entrance exam or Iranian civil service examinations, there is no negative marking on the Comprehensive Basic Sciences Medical Exam. Incorrect answers receive 0 marks without penalizing correct answers, so candidates should answer every item.

How is the passing threshold (hadd-e nesab) determined?

Rather than a fixed 50% or 60% cutoff, the passing score (hadd-e nesab) is determined dynamically for each exam sitting as 70% of the mean raw score of the top 5% of test-takers nationwide across all Iranian medical universities. Historically, this corresponds to approximately 90 to 105 correct answers out of 200.

What happens if a candidate fails the examination?

Students who do not meet the qualifying threshold are not permitted to enroll in clinical physiopathology courses. They are granted the opportunity to retake the exam in subsequent national sittings (held in Shahrivar and Esfand), subject to maximum permissible attempts established by Ministry of Health educational regulations.

Is this OpenExamPrep question bank an official Sanjesh Pezeshki resource?

No. This question bank is an independent English-language MCQ study adaptation developed by OpenExamPrep for concept reinforcement and review. The official exam is administered in Persian by Sanjesh Pezeshki, and this resource is neither an official simulation nor officially affiliated with the Ministry of Health and Medical Education.