100+ Free MDCN Exam Practice Questions

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2026 Statistics

Key Facts: MDCN Exam Exam

300 MCQs

Day 1 CBT carries about 300 multiple-choice questions across basic and clinical sciences

MDCN Assessment Examination format / candidate reports

180 minutes

Approximate time allowed for the Day 1 CBT multiple-choice paper

MDCN candidate guidance

2 days

The exam runs over two days: CBT plus clinical/OSCE on a separate day

Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria

No fixed pass mark

MDCN does not officially publish a pass mark or per-subject weighting

Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria

N125,000

Non-refundable examination fee for Nigerian citizens (N200,000 for non-Nigerians)

MDCN examination notices

EPIC verified

Credentials must be verified through EPIC (Intealth/ECFMG) before applying

EPIC instructions for MDCN applicants

Foreign-trained

Required for doctors trained outside Nigeria seeking registration to practise

Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria

100

Free original single-best-answer practice questions here

OpenExamPrep

The MDCN Assessment Examination is the licensing exam foreign-trained doctors must pass to practise in Nigeria, administered by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria over two days. Day 1 is a computer-based MCQ paper of about 300 questions (roughly 250 text and 50 picture-based) completed in about 180 minutes, covering Internal Medicine, Surgery, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Paediatrics, Pathology, Pharmacology and Physiology, and Community Health. Day 2 is a separate clinical/OSCE examination. MDCN does not publish a fixed pass mark or per-subject weighting. Examination fees are N125,000 for Nigerian citizens and N200,000 for non-Nigerian citizens (non-refundable). This 100-question bank provides original single-best-answer MCQ practice for the Day 1 medical CBT, emphasising conditions common in Nigerian and African practice.

Sample MDCN Exam Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to test your MDCN Exam exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1A 28-year-old man returns from a rural area with fever, chills, headache and myalgia for 3 days. A thick blood film shows ring forms and banana-shaped gametocytes. What is the most appropriate first-line treatment for this uncomplicated infection in Nigeria?

A.Oral chloroquine

B.Artemisinin-based combination therapy

C.Intravenous quinine

D.Oral doxycycline alone

Explanation: Banana (crescent)-shaped gametocytes are characteristic of Plasmodium falciparum. For uncomplicated falciparum malaria, the Nigerian national policy and WHO recommend artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) such as artemether-lumefantrine. This combines rapid parasite clearance with a partner drug to reduce resistance.

2A 22-year-old student has had a stepwise fever for 7 days, abdominal discomfort, constipation and relative bradycardia. Examination shows splenomegaly and rose spots on the trunk. Which investigation most reliably confirms the diagnosis in the first week of illness?

A.Widal test

B.Blood culture

C.Stool culture

D.Urine culture

Explanation: The picture is typhoid fever (Salmonella Typhi). Blood culture is positive in about 80% of cases during the first week and is the diagnostic gold standard. Stool and urine cultures become positive later, in the second and third weeks.

3A 35-year-old man with HIV presents with 3 weeks of cough, drenching night sweats and weight loss. Sputum GeneXpert MTB/RIF is positive with no rifampicin resistance. What is the recommended initial intensive-phase regimen?

A.Isoniazid and rifampicin only

B.Rifampicin, isoniazid, pyrazinamide and ethambutol

C.Streptomycin and isoniazid

D.Rifampicin and pyrazinamide only

Explanation: Standard first-line treatment for drug-susceptible pulmonary tuberculosis is a 2-month intensive phase of rifampicin, isoniazid, pyrazinamide and ethambutol (RIPE), followed by a 4-month continuation phase of rifampicin and isoniazid. This applies to HIV-positive patients, who should also start antiretroviral therapy.

4A 40-year-old man is found to have a blood pressure of 168/104 mmHg on three separate visits. He has no diabetes and no chronic kidney disease. According to common guidelines, which class is the most appropriate first-line antihypertensive for a Black African patient without compelling indications?

A.Calcium channel blocker

B.Beta-blocker

C.ACE inhibitor

D.Alpha-blocker

Explanation: For Black patients of African or Caribbean origin, a calcium channel blocker (such as amlodipine) or a thiazide-like diuretic is preferred first-line because ACE inhibitors and ARBs tend to be less effective as monotherapy in this group, who often have lower-renin hypertension.

5A 55-year-old woman with type 2 diabetes presents with central crushing chest pain for 2 hours. ECG shows ST elevation in leads II, III and aVF. Which coronary artery is most likely occluded?

A.Left anterior descending artery

B.Left circumflex artery

C.Right coronary artery

D.Left main stem

Explanation: ST elevation in the inferior leads II, III and aVF indicates an inferior myocardial infarction, most commonly caused by occlusion of the right coronary artery, which supplies the inferior wall in most people.

6A 19-year-old known to have sickle cell anaemia presents with sudden severe bone pain, fever and a tender, swollen left thigh. Blood film confirms sickling. What is the most appropriate immediate management of a typical vaso-occlusive crisis?

A.Exchange blood transfusion

B.Adequate hydration, analgesia and oxygen

C.Immediate splenectomy

D.High-dose oral iron

Explanation: An uncomplicated vaso-occlusive (painful) crisis is managed with adequate hydration, effective analgesia (often opioids), oxygen if hypoxic, warmth and treatment of any precipitant such as infection. This relieves pain and limits further sickling.

7A 45-year-old man with long-standing diabetes is brought in drowsy. Capillary glucose is 32 mmol/L, he is dehydrated, breathing deeply, and urine dipstick shows ketones 4+ with a blood pH of 7.18. What is the single most important first step in management?

A.Intravenous 0.9% sodium chloride

B.Intravenous sodium bicarbonate

C.Subcutaneous long-acting insulin

D.Oral rehydration solution

Explanation: This is diabetic ketoacidosis. The first priority is fluid resuscitation with intravenous isotonic saline (0.9% sodium chloride) to restore circulating volume, followed by a fixed-rate intravenous insulin infusion and careful potassium replacement.

8A 30-year-old woman with HIV has a CD4 count of 90 cells/microlitre and presents with progressive headache, fever and neck stiffness over 2 weeks. A cerebrospinal fluid India ink preparation shows encapsulated yeasts. What is the most appropriate initial treatment?

A.Intravenous ceftriaxone

B.Amphotericin B with flucytosine

C.Oral metronidazole

D.Intravenous aciclovir

Explanation: Encapsulated yeasts on India ink in an immunosuppressed patient indicate cryptococcal meningitis (Cryptococcus neoformans). Induction therapy is amphotericin B combined with flucytosine, followed by fluconazole consolidation and maintenance.

9A 60-year-old man presents with progressive breathlessness, orthopnoea and bilateral ankle swelling. Examination shows raised jugular venous pressure, a displaced apex beat and bibasal crepitations. Which initial drug gives the most rapid symptomatic relief of his pulmonary congestion?

A.Intravenous furosemide

B.Oral digoxin

C.Oral bisoprolol

D.Oral spironolactone

Explanation: This is decompensated congestive heart failure with pulmonary congestion. A loop diuretic such as intravenous furosemide gives the most rapid relief by reducing preload and clearing fluid overload.

10A 50-year-old man with chronic alcohol use presents with haematemesis. Endoscopy shows bleeding oesophageal varices. After resuscitation and endoscopic band ligation, which drug reduces portal pressure and helps control acute variceal bleeding?

A.Intravenous omeprazole

B.Octreotide

C.Intravenous tranexamic acid

D.Oral propranolol started immediately

Explanation: Octreotide (a somatostatin analogue) or terlipressin reduces splanchnic blood flow and portal pressure, helping to control acute variceal bleeding. It is given alongside endoscopic therapy and antibiotic prophylaxis.

About the MDCN Exam Exam

The MDCN Assessment Examination is the licensing assessment foreign-trained medical and dental graduates must pass to register and practise in Nigeria. It is held over two days at a designated teaching hospital. Day 1 is a computer-based test (CBT) of multiple-choice questions covering all aspects of basic and clinical sciences, and for medical candidates also includes short answer and long essay papers; Day 2 is a clinical examination comprising long and short cases or an Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE). The CBT MCQ paper carries about 300 questions, including a substantial set of picture-based items, and is widely regarded as demanding, with a notable failure rate. Eligibility requires a degree from an institution listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools, credential verification through EPIC, and evidence of eligibility to practise in the country of training. This 100-question bank provides original single-best-answer practice for the Day 1 medical CBT only.

Assessment

Day 1 is a computer-based MCQ paper of about 300 questions (roughly 250 text MCQs and 50 picture-based items) covering basic and clinical sciences; medical candidates also sit short answer and long essay components. Day 2 is a separate clinical examination (long and short cases or OSCE).

Time Limit

About 180 minutes (3 hours) for the Day 1 CBT MCQ paper. The Day 2 clinical/OSCE examination is timed separately on a different day.

Passing Score

MDCN does not officially publish a fixed pass mark or per-subject weighting. Candidates must pass both the written/CBT components and the clinical (OSCE/long and short cases) examination.

Exam Fee

Non-refundable MDCN fees: Nigerian citizens N125,000 and non-Nigerian citizens N200,000, plus N5,000 for application forms; dental candidates pay an extra N25,000 for dental materials. (Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN))

MDCN Exam Exam Content Outline

22%

Internal Medicine

Diagnosis and management across cardiology, respiratory, gastroenterology, nephrology, endocrinology, neurology, haematology and infectious disease. Strong emphasis on malaria, typhoid fever, tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, sickle cell disease and their complications as seen in Nigerian and African practice.

18%

Surgery

Acute abdomen and appendicitis, intestinal obstruction, hernias, trauma and burns, breast and thyroid disease, urological emergencies, fluid and electrolyte balance, shock, wound management and perioperative care.

16%

Obstetrics & Gynaecology

Antenatal care and screening, obstetric emergencies including postpartum haemorrhage, eclampsia and obstructed labour, the partograph, contraception and family planning, and common gynaecological presentations such as ectopic pregnancy and pelvic infection.

16%

Paediatrics

Neonatal resuscitation and jaundice, growth and development, immunisation schedules, integrated management of childhood illness, severe acute malnutrition, paediatric malaria, pneumonia, diarrhoeal disease and sickle cell crises in children.

10%

Pathology

General and systemic pathology, inflammation and neoplasia, microbiology of common pathogens, haematology including anaemias and sickle cell disease, and interpretation of routine laboratory investigations.

10%

Pharmacology & Physiology

Mechanisms of action, indications, dosing principles and adverse effects of commonly used drugs (antimalarials, antibiotics, antihypertensives, analgesics), and core physiological principles underpinning clinical practice.

Community / Public Health

Epidemiology and study design, immunisation and vaccine-preventable disease, primary health care, disease surveillance and control, maternal and child health indicators, and prevention of communicable diseases common in Nigeria.

How to Pass the MDCN Exam Exam

What You Need to Know

Passing score: MDCN does not officially publish a fixed pass mark or per-subject weighting. Candidates must pass both the written/CBT components and the clinical (OSCE/long and short cases) examination.
Assessment: Day 1 is a computer-based MCQ paper of about 300 questions (roughly 250 text MCQs and 50 picture-based items) covering basic and clinical sciences; medical candidates also sit short answer and long essay components. Day 2 is a separate clinical examination (long and short cases or OSCE).
Time limit: About 180 minutes (3 hours) for the Day 1 CBT MCQ paper. The Day 2 clinical/OSCE examination is timed separately on a different day.
Exam fee: Non-refundable MDCN fees: Nigerian citizens N125,000 and non-Nigerian citizens N200,000, plus N5,000 for application forms; dental candidates pay an extra N25,000 for dental materials.

Keys to Passing

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

MDCN Exam Study Tips from Top Performers

1Build broad coverage across all major clinical subjects; the CBT samples Internal Medicine, Surgery, O&G, Paediatrics, Pathology, Pharmacology, Physiology and Community Health, so do not neglect any area.

2Prioritise conditions common in Nigerian and African practice such as malaria, typhoid, tuberculosis, HIV, sickle cell disease and maternal emergencies, since these appear frequently.

3Practise picture-based questions specifically, including radiographs, peripheral blood films, ECGs, rashes and clinical photographs, because roughly a sixth of the CBT is image-based.

4Drill timing: about 300 questions in 180 minutes is around 36 seconds per question, so practise answering quickly and flagging items to revisit.

5Revise management algorithms and first-line drugs, including national guidelines for malaria, tuberculosis and antenatal care, rather than only making a diagnosis.

6Confirm current dates, fees, venue and eligibility on the official MDCN portal before applying, as these are updated for each examination diet.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the MDCN Assessment Examination?

It is the licensing examination that foreign-trained medical and dental graduates must pass to be registered and practise in Nigeria. It is run by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) over two days at a designated teaching hospital.

How is the Day 1 CBT structured?

Day 1 is a computer-based test of about 300 multiple-choice questions covering all aspects of basic and clinical sciences, including roughly 50 picture-based items, completed in about 180 minutes. Medical candidates also sit short answer and long essay components.

Is there a fixed pass mark for the MDCN exam?

MDCN does not officially publish a fixed pass mark or per-subject weighting. Candidates must pass the written/CBT components and the clinical (OSCE or long and short cases) examination to be successful overall.

How much does the MDCN Assessment Examination cost?

Published non-refundable fees are N125,000 for Nigerian citizens and N200,000 for non-Nigerian citizens, plus N5,000 for application forms. Dental candidates pay an additional N25,000 for dental materials. Always confirm current fees on the MDCN portal.

Who is eligible to sit the exam?

Graduates of institutions listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools whose credentials are verified through EPIC, with evidence of eligibility to practise in their country of training, including a current practising licence and Certificate of Good Standing.

Are these official MDCN practice questions?

No. These are original OpenExamPrep questions modelled on the clinical subjects of the Day 1 CBT. They are not past MDCN questions and do not reproduce official exam content. Use them alongside standard textbooks and official MDCN information.