Newcastle Medical School Years 1 and 2 Cheat Sheet
Every case group of Newcastle's first two years, from the Foundation block to the transition block, with the SimpleMed articles that cover them. Find your cases, open the articles, revise.
- 4 semesters
- 9 units
- 356 SimpleMed articles
Independent guide, not endorsed by Newcastle University School of Medical Education. About this page
Year 1, Semester 1
Semester 1 paperFoundation
49 articles
An opening block on cell biology, genetics, metabolism and infection, with early professionalism, clinical and communication skills. The articles here cover the science the first cases build on.
Cells, proteins and signalling
- 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
Genetics
- 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
Metabolism
- Energy Reactions in Cells
- Dietary Energy Production
- Glycolysis
- Oxygen-dependent Pathway
- Energy Storage
- Lipid Metabolism and Transport
- Protein and Amino Acid Metabolism
- Purine and Pyrimidine Metabolism
- Vitamins, Cofactors, Minerals and Trace Elements
- Oxidative Stress
Infection basics
- An Introduction to Infection
- The Infection Model
- Bacterial Structure, Classification and Growth
- Gram Staining and Infection Investigations
- Principles of Medical Virology
- Fungi and Parasites: The Eukaryotic Pathogens
- Biofilms
Anatomical terms and tissues
- Anatomical Terms
- How to Read a Histology Slide
- Epithelium, Skin and Exocrine Glands
- Basics of Embryology
- Basics of Pathology
- An Introduction to Pathology
First clinical skills
- Blood Pressure Measurement OSCE Guide
- Venepuncture and Blood Cultures OSCE Guide
- Index Conditions for OSCE exams
Practice questions on SimpleMed+: Cell Physiology and Biology, Genetics, Metabolism, Infection
Cases 1 to 5: heart, kidneys, blood, metabolism, cancer
75 articles
The first clinical cases, on cardiovascular, renal and blood problems alongside metabolism, cancer and infection.
Heart and circulation
- Acute Coronary Syndrome
- Anatomy of the Cardiovascular System
- Artery and Vein Disease
- Cardiac Conduction and Contraction
- Cardiovascular Drugs
- Congenital Heart Defects
- Control of Cardiac Output
- Electrocardiogram Pathology
- Electrocardiograms
- Embryological Development of the CVS
- Haemodynamic Shock
- Heart Failure
- Hypertension
- Murmurs
- Pulses and Pressures
- Special Circulations
- The Cardiac Cycle
- Atherosclerosis
Kidneys and urinary tract
- 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
Blood
- 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
- Haemostasis and Clotting
- Thrombosis and Embolism
Metabolism and diabetes
- The Endocrine Pancreas
- Diabetes Mellitus
- Pharmacology of Insulin
- Metabolic and Endocrine Regulation
- Control of Appetite
- Nutrition, Diet and Body Weight
- Inborn Errors of Metabolism and Newborn Screening
- Alcohol Metabolism
- Temperature Regulation
Cancer
- Introduction to Neoplasia
- Pathogenesis of Neoplasms
- Behaviour of Neoplasms
- DNA Repair and Cancer
- The Cell Cycle, Checkpoints and Apoptosis
- Cancer Chemotherapy
Drugs
- Hypertension and Heart Failure
- Cardiac Arrhythmias
- Antiplatelets, Anticoagulants and Thrombolysis
- Hyperlipidaemias
- Diuretics and Renal Pharmacology
Examination
- Cardiovascular System OSCE Examination
- Peripheral Vascular OSCE Examination
- Varicose Vein OSCE Examination
- Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) OSCE Examination
- Lymphoreticular OSCE Examination
Practice questions on SimpleMed+: Cardiovascular System, Urinary System, Haematology, Metabolism
Year 1, Semester 2
Semester 2 paper, OSCECases 6 to 13: lungs, gut, liver, immunity, mental health
75 articles
The second group of Year 1 cases: respiratory, liver and gut disease, allergy, inflammation and immunity, genetics, infection and mental health.
Lungs and breathing
- Anatomy of the Respiratory System
- Asthma
- Bronchiectasis and Cystic Fibrosis
- Carbon Dioxide Transport
- Chemical Control of Breathing and Plasma pH
- Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
- Development of the Respiratory System
- Lung Cancer
- Lung Function Testing
- Pneumonia and other Lower Respiratory Tract Infections
- Pneumothorax and Pleural Effusion
- Properties of Gas Exchange
- Pulmonary Embolism
- Respiratory Failure
- Tuberculosis
- Ventilation and Lung Mechanics
- Pharmacology of Airway Control
Liver and gut
- Abdominal Wall and Inguinal Canal
- Anatomy and Physiology of the Foregut
- Anatomy and Physiology of the Hindgut
- Anatomy and Physiology of the Midgut
- Development of the Gastrointestinal Tract
- Distal Gastrointestinal Tract Pathology
- Gastroenteritis and Enterocolitis
- Gastrointestinal Emergencies
- Gastrointestinal Malignancy
- Gastrointestinal Motility and the Enteric Nervous System
- Gastrointestinal Secretion, Digestion and Absorption
- Hepatic, Biliary and Pancreatic Pathology
- Intestinal Pathology
- Liver, Biliary and Exocrine Pancreatic Physiology
- Upper Gastrointestinal Tract Pathology
- Hepatitis
- Drugs Affecting Acid Secretion
- Antiemetics and Laxatives
Inflammation
- Acute Inflammation
- Chronic Inflammation
- Regeneration and Repair of Tissues
- Cellular Adaptations
- NSAIDs
- The Lymphatic System
Allergy and immunity
- Food Allergy
- Hypersensitivity Reactions
- Immunological Therapies
- Introduction to Autoimmunity
- Rheumatoid Arthritis
- Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
- Type 1 Hypersensitivity
- Innate Immunity
- Adaptive Immunity
- The Immunocompromised Host
- Immunosuppression and Disease-modifying Therapy
Genetic disease
- Genotype, Phenotype, and Inheritance
- Introduction to Gene Mutation
- Genetic Testing and Counselling
- Haemoglobinopathies
Infection
- Streptococci
- Staphylococci and Other Gram-positive Bacteria
- Gram-negative Bacteria: Structure, Entry Routes and Endotoxin
- The Organisms Gram Staining Misses
- Antibiotics (infection)
- Antibiotics (pharmacology)
- Antivirals
- Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)
- Sepsis
- Travel-related Infections
Mental health and ill health
Examination
- Respiratory System OSCE Examination
- Abdominal OSCE Examination
- Rectal (PR) OSCE Examination
- Stoma OSCE Examination
- Hernia OSCE Examination
Practice questions on SimpleMed+: Respiratory System, Gastrointestinal System, Immunology, Infection
Year 2, Semester 1
Semester 1 paperCases 14 to 20: reproduction, neuroscience, nutrition
86 articles
Year 2 cases on reproduction and neuroscience, plus nutrition, immunity, infection and dementia. We have placed head and neck anatomy here.
Reproduction and pregnancy
- Anatomy of the Man
- Anatomy of the Woman
- Benign Conditions of the Breast
- Development of the Reproductive System
- Diseases of the Mother in Pregnancy
- Gametogenesis
- Infections of the Reproductive Tract
- Introduction to the Breast
- Labour and Delivery
- Malignancies of the Reproductive Tract
- Malignant Breast Disease
- Pelvic Inflammatory Disease
- Physiology of the Fetus
- Physiology of the Mother
- Puberty
- Sex, Infertility and Contraception
- The Menopause
- The Menstrual Cycle and Menstrual Abnormalities
- The Pelvic Floor
- The Placenta
- The Postpartum Period
- Reproductive and Post-reproductive Health
- Teratology and Congenital Malformations
Brain and nervous system
- 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
- Somatosensory System
- Motor System
- The Cerebellum: Circuits, Coordination and Clinical Signs
- Reticular Formation
- The Hypothalamus and Limbic System
- Higher Cortical Function
- Membrane Potentials
- Action Potentials
- Autonomic Nervous System Introduction
Head, neck and cranial nerves
- Anatomy of the Ear
- Autonomics of the Head and Neck
- Blood Supply to the Head and Neck
- Cranial Nerves I-VI
- Cranial Nerves VII-XII
- 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 Eye
- The Larynx
- The Meninges
- The Nose
- The Oral Cavity and Pharynx
- The Skull
- The Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ)
Nutrition
- Nutrition, Diet and Body Weight
- Gastrointestinal Secretion, Digestion and Absorption
- Vitamins, Cofactors, Minerals and Trace Elements
- Iron Metabolism
- Vitamin B12 and Folate
Hormones
- 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
Dementia
Examination
- Cranial Nerve OSCE Examination
- Breast OSCE Examination
- Testicular OSCE Examination
- Thyroid Status OSCE Examination
- Cushing's Syndrome OSCE Examination
- Acromegaly OSCE Examination
- Diabetic Foot 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
- Neck Lump OSCE Examination
Practice questions on SimpleMed+: Reproductive System, Neuroanatomy and Psychiatry, Head and Neck, Endocrinology
Year 2, Semester 2
Semester 2 paper, OSCECases 21 to 25: neuroscience, musculoskeletal, ageing
76 articles
The final cases, on neuroscience, the musculoskeletal system, mental illness, ageing and immunology.
Neurological disease
- Stroke
- Subarachnoid Haemorrhage
- Raised Intracranial Pressure
- Headaches
- Movement Disorders
- Infections of the Central Nervous System
- Visual System
- Auditory and Vestibular Systems
- Epilepsy and Anti-epileptic Drugs
- Parkinson's Disease and Myasthenia Gravis
- Opioids
- Anaesthetics
Bones, joints and muscles
- Anatomical Terms
- Basics of Bone Anatomy
- Bones of the Foot
- Bones of the Hand
- Bones of the Lower Limb
- Bones of the Upper Limb
- Cartilage: Structure, Growth and Repair
- Conditions of the Ankle
- Conditions of the Arm
- Conditions of the Back and Neck
- Conditions of the Elbow
- Conditions of the Foot
- Conditions of the Hand
- Conditions of the Hip
- Conditions of the Knee
- Conditions of the Lower Back
- Conditions of the Lower Leg
- Conditions of the Shoulder and Clavicle
- Conditions of the Thigh
- Conditions of the Wrist
- Connective Tissue
- Dermatomes and Myotomes
- Joints
- Key Areas of the Lower Limb
- Key Areas of the Upper Limb
- Muscles in Action
- Muscles of the Forearm
- Muscles of the Gluteal Region
- Muscles of the Lower Leg
- Muscles of the Shoulder
- Muscles of the Thigh
- Muscles of the Upper Arm
- Structure of Bones
- Structure of the Muscles
- The Brachial Plexus
- The Lumbar Plexus
- The Sacral Plexus
- The Spine
- Development of the Limbs and Body Wall
Mental ill health
Ageing
Autoimmune and joint disease
- Introduction to Autoimmunity
- Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
- Rheumatoid Arthritis
- Hypersensitivity Reactions
Examination
- Upper Limb Neurological OSCE Examination
- Lower Limb Neurological OSCE Examination
- Cerebellar OSCE Examination
- 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
Practice questions on SimpleMed+: Neuroanatomy and Psychiatry, Musculoskeletal System, Immunology
Transition to Clinically Based Practice
23 articles
A three-week block at the end of Year 2 that prepares you for the wards. You apply your clinical and communication skills to patients with signs (findings you can see, feel or hear on examination).
Examining patients with signs
- Cardiovascular System OSCE Examination
- Respiratory System OSCE Examination
- Abdominal OSCE Examination
- Cranial Nerve OSCE Examination
- Upper Limb Neurological OSCE Examination
- GALS Screening OSCE Examination
- Pigmented Skin Lesion OSCE Examination
- Rash and Non-Pigmented Skin Lesion OSCE Examination
Recognising acute illness
- Sepsis
- Sepsis in Paediatrics
- Haemodynamic Shock
- Respiratory Failure
- Acute Coronary Syndrome
- Gastrointestinal Emergencies
Prescribing and safety
- Safe Prescribing
- Poisoning and STOPP/START
- Pharmacokinetics
- Pharmacodynamics
- Pharmacovigilance and Pharmacogenetics
- Cholinergic Pharmacology
- Adrenergic Pharmacology
- Research Methods in Pharmacology
- Patient Safety and Quality Control
Practice questions on SimpleMed+: OSCE, Patient-Centred Care, Pharmacology
Throughout Years 1 and 2
Clinical skills and communication
44 articles
Taught inside every case across both years, with early visits to hospitals and general practices. You learn to take a history, examine each body system and communicate clearly.
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
Professionalism and ethics
5 articles
Threaded through each case, covering safe, honest practice and how professional behaviour is monitored across each year.
Practice questions on SimpleMed+: Patient-Centred Care, Population and Social Science
Public health, health psychology and social science
11 articles
Population health, health behaviour and the social context of illness, taught inside the cases rather than as a separate unit.
Population and Social Science
- Introduction to Population Science
- Epidemiological Studies
- Describing Data and Testing Hypotheses
- Evidence-Based Practice
- Models of Health
- Beliefs of the Public
- Population and Social Science Summary
Patient-Centred Care
From other subjects
Practice questions on SimpleMed+: Population and Social Science, Patient-Centred Care
How Newcastle assesses Years 1 and 2
- Clinical cases are the units of study: a Foundation block, 13 cases in Year 1 and 12 in Year 2, then a three-week transition block.
- Knowledge is assessed with single best answer papers (multiple-choice questions where you pick the one best answer from a list), short answer case-based papers and the WriSkE (Written Skills Examination). Students sit a written paper at the end of each semester.
- Clinical skills are assessed in multi-station OSCEs and in workplace-based clinical encounters (where a clinician observes you taking a history or examining a patient). Professionalism is monitored across each year and recorded in an e-portfolio (an online portfolio of your learning and professional development).
- Newcastle 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
Years 3 to 5 are clinical placements, in three stages: Clinically Based Practice, Complexity in Medical Practice and Transition to Medical Practitioner.
This is an independent revision guide written by SimpleMed. It is not endorsed by, or affiliated with, Newcastle University or its School of Medical Education. Unit names follow the 2026/27 programme regulations for the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS). Newcastle does not publish case titles, so the topic groups inside each case group are ours. Some articles appear in more than one unit, so the unit counts add up to more than the total at the top of the page. Always check your official course materials. Last updated October 2026.
