Bristol Medical School Years 1 and 2 Cheat Sheet
Bristol's Years 1 and 2, block by block: Foundations of Medicine, the Year 1 body systems and the symptom-led Year 2, with the SimpleMed articles that cover each.
- 3 blocks
- 18 units
- 356 SimpleMed articles
Independent guide, not endorsed by Bristol Medical School. About this page
Year 1, Block 1
FOM testsFoundations of Medicine: basic sciences (FOM)
41 articles
The science base of the first 13 weeks: cells, molecules, genes, tissues and the body plan (how the body is organised).
Cells and molecules
- Action Potentials
- Autonomic Nervous System Introduction
- Biological Membranes
- Enzyme-linked and Intracellular Receptor Signalling
- Enzymes and Regulation of Protein Function
- G-Protein Coupled Receptors
- Introduction to DNA
- Introduction to the Cell
- Membrane Potentials
- Membrane Transport and Intracellular Calcium Regulation
- Molecular Techniques for Medics
- Post-translational Modification and Collagen Biosynthesis
- Protein Function in Oxygen Transport
- Protein Targeting
- Structure of Proteins
- The Cell Cycle, Checkpoints and Apoptosis
Genes and inheritance
- DNA Repair and Cancer
- Epigenetics, Genomic Imprinting and Mitochondrial Inheritance
- Gene Expression
- Genetic Testing and Counselling
- Genotype, Phenotype, and Inheritance
- Introduction to Gene Mutation
- Mitosis and Meiosis
Energy and biochemistry
- Energy Reactions in Cells
- Dietary Energy Production
- Glycolysis
- Oxygen-dependent Pathway
- Energy Storage
- Protein and Amino Acid Metabolism
- Lipid Metabolism and Transport
Tissues and the body plan
- Anatomical Terms
- Basics of Bone Anatomy
- Structure of Bones
- Joints
- Structure of the Muscles
- Cartilage: Structure, Growth and Repair
- Connective Tissue
- How to Read a Histology Slide
- Epithelium, Skin and Exocrine Glands
- Basics of Embryology
- Cells and Components of the Nervous System
Practice questions on SimpleMed+: Cell Physiology and Biology, Genetics, Metabolism
Foundations of Medicine: evidence and society (FOM)
13 articles
Evidence-based practice, research methods, ethics, behaviour and health in society.
Evidence and research methods
- Evidence-Based Practice
- Describing Data and Testing Hypotheses
- Epidemiological Studies
- Introduction to Population Science
- Population and Social Science Summary
- Research Methods in Pharmacology
Health, behaviour and society
Safety and professionalism
Practice questions on SimpleMed+: Population and Social Science, Patient-Centred Care
Year 1, Block 2
Year 1 written examMusculoskeletal system
49 articles
One of seven case-based blocks in Human Health and Well-being (the 17 weeks of body systems teaching after Foundations of Medicine): bones, joints, muscles and nerves of the limbs and spine, learnt through common injuries and conditions.
Foundations
- Anatomical Terms
- Basics of Bone Anatomy
- Structure of Bones
- Cartilage: Structure, Growth and Repair
- Connective Tissue
- Joints
- Structure of the Muscles
- Muscles in Action
- Development of the Limbs and Body Wall
- Dermatomes and Myotomes
Upper limb
- Bones of the Hand
- Bones of the Upper Limb
- Conditions of the Arm
- Conditions of the Elbow
- Conditions of the Hand
- Conditions of the Shoulder and Clavicle
- Conditions of the Wrist
- Key Areas of the Upper Limb
- Muscles of the Forearm
- Muscles of the Shoulder
- Muscles of the Upper Arm
- The Brachial Plexus
Lower limb
- Bones of the Foot
- Bones of the Lower Limb
- Conditions of the Ankle
- Conditions of the Foot
- Conditions of the Hip
- Conditions of the Knee
- Conditions of the Lower Leg
- Conditions of the Thigh
- Key Areas of the Lower Limb
- Muscles of the Gluteal Region
- Muscles of the Lower Leg
- Muscles of the Thigh
- The Lumbar Plexus
- The Sacral Plexus
Back and neck
Joint disease and drugs
Examination guides
Cardiovascular system
27 articles
How the heart and vessels are built and controlled, how we examine them, and common heart and circulation disease.
Structure and function
- Anatomy of the Cardiovascular System
- Embryological Development of the CVS
- The Cardiac Cycle
- Cardiac Conduction and Contraction
- Control of Cardiac Output
- Pulses and Pressures
- Special Circulations
Investigations and disease
- Electrocardiograms
- Electrocardiogram Pathology
- Murmurs
- Hypertension
- Atherosclerosis
- Acute Coronary Syndrome
- Heart Failure
- Artery and Vein Disease
- Congenital Heart Defects
- Haemodynamic Shock
Drugs
- Cardiovascular Drugs
- Hypertension and Heart Failure
- Cardiac Arrhythmias
- Antiplatelets, Anticoagulants and Thrombolysis
- Hyperlipidaemias
Examination guides
Respiratory system
18 articles
How we breathe and exchange gases, how lung function is tested, and common airway, infective and malignant lung disease.
Structure and function
- Anatomy of the Respiratory System
- Development of the Respiratory System
- Ventilation and Lung Mechanics
- Properties of Gas Exchange
- Carbon Dioxide Transport
- Chemical Control of Breathing and Plasma pH
- Lung Function Testing
Disease
- Asthma
- Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
- Pneumonia and other Lower Respiratory Tract Infections
- Tuberculosis
- Bronchiectasis and Cystic Fibrosis
- Pneumothorax and Pleural Effusion
- Pulmonary Embolism
- Lung Cancer
- Respiratory Failure
Drugs and examination
Gastrointestinal system
23 articles
The gut, liver, gallbladder and pancreas, how they digest and absorb, and the diseases that disrupt them.
Structure and function
- Development of the Gastrointestinal Tract
- Anatomy and Physiology of the Foregut
- Anatomy and Physiology of the Midgut
- Anatomy and Physiology of the Hindgut
- Abdominal Wall and Inguinal Canal
- Gastrointestinal Motility and the Enteric Nervous System
- Gastrointestinal Secretion, Digestion and Absorption
- Liver, Biliary and Exocrine Pancreatic Physiology
Disease
- Upper Gastrointestinal Tract Pathology
- Intestinal Pathology
- Distal Gastrointestinal Tract Pathology
- Hepatic, Biliary and Pancreatic Pathology
- Gastroenteritis and Enterocolitis
- Gastrointestinal Malignancy
- Gastrointestinal Emergencies
- Hepatitis
- Alcohol Metabolism
Drugs and examination
Urinary system
22 articles
How the kidneys filter blood and balance water, salts and acid, and the diseases of the kidneys, bladder and prostate.
Urinary System
- Acute Kidney Injury
- Anatomy of the Kidneys, Bladder and Urethra
- Chronic Kidney Disease
- Control of Plasma Osmolarity
- Control of Plasma Volume
- Control of Potassium
- Development of the Urinary System
- Diabetic Nephropathy
- Diuretics
- Glomerular Disease
- Glomerular Filtration Rate and the Measurement of Kidney Function
- Hyponatraemia
- Male Urological Conditions
- Micturition
- Prostate Pathology
- The Glomerulus: Tubular Reabsorption and Secretion
- The Nephron
- Urinary Incontinence
- Urinary Tract Infections
- Urinary Tract Obstruction
- Urological Malignancy
From other subjects
Endocrine system
29 articles
The hormones that control growth, metabolism and calcium, how diabetes and thyroid disease arise, and how energy is handled.
Hormones and disease
- An Introduction to Endocrinology
- Calcium Metabolism
- Control of Appetite
- Diabetes Mellitus
- HPA and Growth Hormone
- Pituitary Disorders
- The Adrenal Glands and Adrenal Disorders
- The Endocrine Pancreas
- The Thyroid Gland
Metabolism and nutrition
- Alcohol Metabolism
- Dietary Energy Production
- Energy Reactions in Cells
- Energy Storage
- Glycolysis
- Inborn Errors of Metabolism and Newborn Screening
- Lipid Metabolism and Transport
- Metabolic and Endocrine Regulation
- Nutrition, Diet and Body Weight
- Oxidative Stress
- Oxygen-dependent Pathway
- Protein and Amino Acid Metabolism
- Purine and Pyrimidine Metabolism
- Temperature Regulation
- Vitamins, Cofactors, Minerals and Trace Elements
Drugs and examination
- Pharmacology of Insulin
- Thyroid Status OSCE Examination
- Diabetic Foot OSCE Examination
- Cushing's Syndrome OSCE Examination
- Acromegaly OSCE Examination
Practice questions on SimpleMed+: Endocrinology, Metabolism
Neurological system
26 articles
The structure and normal function of the brain, cranial nerves and special senses. Disease and psychology come in Year 2.
Brain and spinal pathways
- Basics of Neuroanatomy
- Cells and Components of the Nervous System
- Development of the Nervous System
- Arterial Supply to the Brain
- Production and Circulation of CSF and Related Disorders
- The Meninges
- Somatosensory System
- Motor System
- The Cerebellum: Circuits, Coordination and Clinical Signs
- Reticular Formation
- The Hypothalamus and Limbic System
- Higher Cortical Function
- Autonomic Nervous System Introduction
- Membrane Potentials
- Action Potentials
Cranial nerves and special senses
- Cranial Nerves I-VI
- Cranial Nerves VII-XII
- Visual System
- Auditory and Vestibular Systems
- The Eye
- Anatomy of the Ear
- Autonomics of the Head and Neck
Examination guides
- Cranial Nerve OSCE Examination
- Upper Limb Neurological OSCE Examination
- Lower Limb Neurological OSCE Examination
- Cerebellar OSCE Examination
Practice questions on SimpleMed+: Neuroanatomy and Psychiatry, Head and Neck
Year 2, Whole year
Year 2 written examNervous system and psychology
17 articles
Year 2 revisits the nervous system through disease: stroke, epilepsy, movement disorders and headache, plus mood, anxiety, psychosis and dementia.
Neurological disease
- Stroke
- Subarachnoid Haemorrhage
- Raised Intracranial Pressure
- Headaches
- Movement Disorders
- Infections of the Central Nervous System
- Epilepsy and Anti-epileptic Drugs
- Parkinson's Disease and Myasthenia Gravis
Psychology and psychiatry
- Dementia
- Delirium
- Mood Disorders
- Anxiety and Anxiety Disorders
- Psychosis
- Introduction to Psychopharmacology
Foundations to revisit
Practice Neuroanatomy and Psychiatry questions on SimpleMed+
Skin and body defences
31 articles
How the skin and immune system protect us, how infection gets past them, and how immune function fails or overreacts.
Skin
- Epithelium, Skin and Exocrine Glands
- Pigmented Skin Lesion OSCE Examination
- Rash and Non-Pigmented Skin Lesion OSCE Examination
Immune system
- Food Allergy
- Hypersensitivity Reactions
- Immunological Therapies
- Introduction to Autoimmunity
- Rheumatoid Arthritis
- Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
- Type 1 Hypersensitivity
- Innate Immunity
- Adaptive Immunity
- The Lymphatic System
- The Immunocompromised Host
Infection
- An Introduction to Infection
- Antibiotics
- Bacterial Structure, Classification and Growth
- Biofilms
- Fungi and Parasites: The Eukaryotic Pathogens
- Gram Staining and Infection Investigations
- Gram-negative Bacteria: Structure, Entry Routes and Endotoxin
- Hepatitis
- Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)
- Principles of Medical Virology
- Sepsis
- Staphylococci and Other Gram-positive Bacteria
- Streptococci
- The Infection Model
- The Organisms Gram Staining Misses
- Travel-related Infections
- Antivirals
Practice questions on SimpleMed+: Immunology, Infection
Blood
14 articles
How blood is made, carries oxygen and clots, and how anaemia, clotting and blood disorders are recognised and investigated.
Haematology
- Anaemia
- Blood Groups, Crossmatching and Transfusion Reactions
- Full Blood Count
- Haematology in Systemic Disease
- Haematopoiesis and the Spleen
- Haemoglobinopathies
- Iron Metabolism
- Vitamin B12 and Folate
- When Haematopoiesis Goes Wrong
From other subjects
Disease processes
20 articles
The processes behind most disease, such as inflammation, repair, thrombosis and cancer, with the mechanisms that link them.
Core processes
- Acute Inflammation
- An Introduction to Pathology
- Atherosclerosis
- Basics of Pathology
- Behaviour of Neoplasms
- Cellular Adaptations
- Chronic Inflammation
- Epithelium, Skin and Exocrine Glands
- Haemostasis and Clotting
- How to Read a Histology Slide
- Introduction to Neoplasia
- Pathogenesis of Neoplasms
- Regeneration and Repair of Tissues
- The Lymphatic System
- Thrombosis and Embolism
Genes and cancer
Pharmacology and therapeutics
29 articles
How the main drug classes work, how drugs move through the body, and how to prescribe and monitor them safely.
Pharmacology
- Adrenergic Pharmacology
- Anaesthetics
- Antibiotics
- Antiemetics and Laxatives
- Antiplatelets, Anticoagulants and Thrombolysis
- Antivirals
- Cancer Chemotherapy
- Cardiac Arrhythmias
- Cholinergic Pharmacology
- Diuretics and Renal Pharmacology
- Drugs Affecting Acid Secretion
- Epilepsy and Anti-epileptic Drugs
- Hyperlipidaemias
- Hypertension and Heart Failure
- Immunosuppression and Disease-modifying Therapy
- Introduction to Psychopharmacology
- NSAIDs
- Opioids
- Parkinson's Disease and Myasthenia Gravis
- Pharmacodynamics
- Pharmacokinetics
- Pharmacology of Airway Control
- Pharmacology of Insulin
- Pharmacovigilance and Pharmacogenetics
- Poisoning and STOPP/START
- Reproductive and Post-reproductive Health
- Research Methods in Pharmacology
- Safe Prescribing
From other subjects
Common symptoms and differential diagnosis
75 articles
Year 2 moves from systems to symptoms. Bristol does not itemise the symptom list, so the grouping, and the placing of the reproduction topics here, are ours.
Chest pain and breathlessness
- Acute Coronary Syndrome
- Heart Failure
- Pulmonary Embolism
- Pneumonia and other Lower Respiratory Tract Infections
- Asthma
- Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
- Respiratory Failure
- Electrocardiograms
- Murmurs
Abdominal and bowel symptoms
- Gastrointestinal Emergencies
- Upper Gastrointestinal Tract Pathology
- Intestinal Pathology
- Gastroenteritis and Enterocolitis
- Hepatic, Biliary and Pancreatic Pathology
- Sepsis
- Haemodynamic Shock
Urinary and kidney symptoms
- Acute Kidney Injury
- Chronic Kidney Disease
- Urinary Tract Infections
- Urinary Tract Obstruction
- Urinary Incontinence
- Hyponatraemia
Reproductive anatomy and development
- Anatomy of the Woman
- Anatomy of the Man
- The Pelvic Floor
- Development of the Reproductive System
- Gametogenesis
- Puberty
- The Menstrual Cycle and Menstrual Abnormalities
- Sex, Infertility and Contraception
- Basics of Embryology
Pregnancy and the newborn
- The Placenta
- Physiology of the Mother
- Physiology of the Fetus
- Diseases of the Mother in Pregnancy
- Labour and Delivery
- The Postpartum Period
- Inborn Errors of Metabolism and Newborn Screening
- Sepsis in Paediatrics
- Child Immunisations
Pelvic, breast and sexual health
- Infections of the Reproductive Tract
- Pelvic Inflammatory Disease
- Malignancies of the Reproductive Tract
- Introduction to the Breast
- Benign Conditions of the Breast
- Malignant Breast Disease
- The Menopause
- Reproductive and Post-reproductive Health
- Male Urological Conditions
- Prostate Pathology
- Urological Malignancy
Head and neck presentations
- Autonomics of the Head and Neck
- Blood Supply to the Head and Neck
- Development of the Head and Neck
- Ear Pathology
- Fascial Planes, Muscles and Triangles
- Head and Neck Cancers
- Imaging of the Head and Neck
- Introduction to Head & Neck Anatomy
- Lymph Nodes and Neck Lumps
- The Larynx
- The Meninges
- The Nose
- The Oral Cavity and Pharynx
- The Skull
- The Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ)
Examination guides
- Breast OSCE Examination
- Testicular OSCE Examination
- Neck Lump OSCE Examination
- Eye and Vision OSCE Examination
- Visual Acuity OSCE Assessment
- Fundoscopy (Ophthalmoscopy) OSCE Examination
- Anterior Segment Eye OSCE Examination
- Ear, Otoscopy and Hearing OSCE Examination
- Nasal OSCE Examination
Practice questions on SimpleMed+: Cardiovascular System, Respiratory System, Gastrointestinal System, Urinary System, Reproductive System
Throughout Years 1 and 2
Effective Consulting Years 1 to 3
44 articles
Consultation, communication, examination and clinical reasoning. Bristol runs this theme through Years 1 to 3. The guides below cover each examination.
Browse every examination guide on the SimpleMed OSCE hub
Start here
- Index Conditions for OSCE exams
- Blood Pressure Measurement OSCE Guide
- Venepuncture and Blood Cultures OSCE Guide
Heart, lungs and circulation
- Cardiovascular System OSCE Examination
- Respiratory System OSCE Examination
- Peripheral Vascular OSCE Examination
- Varicose Vein OSCE Examination
- Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) OSCE Examination
Abdomen and groin
- Abdominal OSCE Examination
- Rectal (PR) OSCE Examination
- Stoma OSCE Examination
- Hernia OSCE Examination
- Testicular OSCE Examination
Nervous system
- Cranial Nerve OSCE Examination
- Upper Limb Neurological OSCE Examination
- Lower Limb Neurological OSCE Examination
- Cerebellar OSCE Examination
Joints and spine
- GALS Screening OSCE Examination
- Shoulder OSCE Examination
- Elbow OSCE Examination
- Hand and Wrist OSCE Examination
- Hip OSCE Examination
- Knee OSCE Examination
- Ankle and Foot OSCE Examination
- Spine OSCE Examination
Endocrine
- Thyroid Status OSCE Examination
- Diabetic Foot OSCE Examination
- Cushing's Syndrome OSCE Examination
- Acromegaly OSCE Examination
Eyes, ears, nose and neck
- Eye and Vision OSCE Examination
- Visual Acuity OSCE Assessment
- Fundoscopy (Ophthalmoscopy) OSCE Examination
- Anterior Segment Eye OSCE Examination
- Ear, Otoscopy and Hearing OSCE Examination
- Nasal OSCE Examination
- Neck Lump OSCE Examination
Skin, breast and lymph nodes
- Pigmented Skin Lesion OSCE Examination
- Rash and Non-Pigmented Skin Lesion OSCE Examination
- Breast OSCE Examination
- Lymphoreticular OSCE Examination
Surface anatomy
Practice questions on SimpleMed+: OSCE, Patient-Centred Care
Placements and Healthcare Assistantship
12 articles
Placements, including the Year 1 healthcare assistantship (training and practice as a healthcare assistant). These articles cover the patients you meet.
Patient-Centred Care
Neuroanatomy and Psychiatry
From other subjects
Helical themes
17 articles
Helical themes are topics, such as evidence-based medicine, that return through the years at greater depth. These articles cover evidence, ethics, population health and care of whole patients.
Population and Social Science
- Beliefs of the Public
- Describing Data and Testing Hypotheses
- Epidemiological Studies
- Evidence-Based Practice
- Health Economics
- Introduction to Population Science
- Models of Health
- Patient Safety and Quality Control
- Population and Social Science Summary
Patient-Centred Care
- Ageing
- Child Immunisations
- Child Safeguarding
- Falls
- Lifestyle Medicine
- Men's Health
- Palliative Care
- Sepsis in Paediatrics
Practice questions on SimpleMed+: Population and Social Science, Patient-Centred Care
How Bristol assesses Years 1 and 2
- Year 1 ends with a summative single best answer (SBA) written exam. Summative means it counts: you must pass it to move on to Year 2, and it makes up the whole assessment mark for the year. Two formative SBA tests belong to Foundations of Medicine (FOM), the first 13 weeks: the FOM Written Test and the FOM Form and Function Test. Formative means they give you feedback and do not add to your mark, but you must sit them.
- Year 2 ends with a summative SBA exam, which you must pass. The Clinical and Practical Assessment (CAPA) is a formative test of clinical and practical skills that you must sit.
- Progress tests are formative tests that you sit three times a year. Bristol sets them in the same format and to the same standard as the final clinical examination. Student Choice projects run in both years. You choose a topic from a list of options, study it in detail and write a report, and you must pass each project.
- Bristol publishes the official dates and formats. Always check your own course materials.
Test yourself
Reading is half of revision. Each unit above links to matching single best answer questions on SimpleMed+.
SimpleMed+ Encyclopaedia
Hard topics, made short and simple
A free bank of short and simple explanations of complex topics, with memory aids, in bitesize pages. Each one links to the SimpleMed+ questions that test it and to the core knowledge your exams expect.
- Bitesize explanations
- Memory aids
- Linked to the question bank
Getting ready for clinical
Later years are clinical, on placements in hospitals and general practice, before the Foundation Programme (the two-year training that new doctors do after medical school).
An independent revision guide by SimpleMed, not endorsed by or affiliated with Bristol Medical School or the University of Bristol. Block and year names follow Bristol's published unit pages. Bristol lists no topic order, so unit groupings, and the order of systems, are ours; check your official materials. Last updated October 2026.
