UCLan Medical School Phase 1 Cheat Sheet
UCLan is now the University of Lancashire. This sheet covers Phase 1 (Years 1 and 2), taught through three modules: Integrated Science and Clinical Medicine (ISCM), Evidence Informed Practice of Medicine (EIPOM) and Medical Skills and Quality Care (MSQC). Find your topic, open the articles, revise.
- 3 modules
- 12 units
- 356 different SimpleMed articles
Independent guide, not endorsed by UCLan or its School of Medicine and Dentistry. About this page
Years 1 and 2, ISCM module
End of year examsCore (ISCM block)
101 articles
The science every system builds on: cells, proteins, genes, metabolism, blood, immunity, infection, pathology and how drugs work.
Cell Physiology and Biology
- Action Potentials
- 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
- 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
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
Immunology
- Food Allergy
- Hypersensitivity Reactions
- Immunological Therapies
- Introduction to Autoimmunity
- Rheumatoid Arthritis
- Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
- Type 1 Hypersensitivity
Infection
- Adaptive Immunity
- 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)
- Innate Immunity
- Principles of Medical Virology
- Sepsis
- Staphylococci and Other Gram-positive Bacteria
- Streptococci
- The Immunocompromised Host
- The Infection Model
- The Organisms Gram Staining Misses
- Travel-related Infections
Pathology
- 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
Pharmacology
- Pharmacokinetics
- Pharmacodynamics
- Pharmacovigilance and Pharmacogenetics
- Safe Prescribing
- Poisoning and STOPP/START
- Research Methods in Pharmacology
- Antibiotics
- Antivirals
- Cancer Chemotherapy
- Immunosuppression and Disease-modifying Therapy
- Cholinergic Pharmacology
- Adrenergic Pharmacology
From other subjects
Practice questions on SimpleMed+: Cell Physiology and Biology, Genetics, Metabolism, Haematology, Immunology, Infection, Pathology, Pharmacology
Musculoskeletal (ISCM block)
43 articles
Bones, joints, muscles and the nerves of the limbs and spine, learnt through common injuries and inflammatory joint conditions.
Musculoskeletal System
- 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
From other subjects
Genitourinary (ISCM block)
44 articles
The kidneys, bladder and prostate, then male and female reproduction from anatomy and development to pregnancy, birth and the menopause.
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
Reproductive System
- 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
From other subjects
Practice questions on SimpleMed+: Urinary System, Reproductive System, Embryology
Cardiology and Respiratory (ISCM block)
41 articles
The heart, circulation and lungs: structure, control and the common diseases, with the drugs that treat them.
Cardiovascular System
- 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 (cardiovascular system)
- Haemodynamic Shock
- Heart Failure
- Hypertension
- Murmurs
- Pulses and Pressures
- Special Circulations
- The Cardiac Cycle
Respiratory System
- 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
Pathology
Pharmacology
- Hypertension and Heart Failure
- Cardiac Arrhythmias
- Antiplatelets, Anticoagulants and Thrombolysis
- Hyperlipidaemias
- Pharmacology of Airway Control
Practice questions on SimpleMed+: Cardiovascular System, Respiratory System
Neuro-endocrine (ISCM block)
61 articles
The brain, nerves and senses, the head and neck, and the hormone systems, with the psychiatric conditions and the drugs that act on them.
Neuroanatomy and Psychiatry
- Anxiety and Anxiety Disorders
- Arterial Supply to the Brain
- Auditory and Vestibular Systems
- Basics of Neuroanatomy
- Cells and Components of the Nervous System
- Delirium
- Dementia
- Development of the Nervous System
- Headaches
- Higher Cortical Function
- Infections of the Central Nervous System
- Mood Disorders
- Motor System
- Movement Disorders
- Production and Circulation of CSF and Related Disorders
- Psychosis
- Raised Intracranial Pressure
- Reticular Formation
- Somatosensory System
- Stroke
- Subarachnoid Haemorrhage
- The Cerebellum: Circuits, Coordination and Clinical Signs
- The Hypothalamus and Limbic System
- Visual System
Head and Neck
- 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)
Endocrinology
- An Introduction to Endocrinology
- Calcium Metabolism
- Control of Appetite
- Diabetes Mellitus
- HPA and Growth Hormone (hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis)
- Pituitary Disorders
- The Adrenal Glands and Adrenal Disorders
- The Endocrine Pancreas
- The Thyroid Gland
Pharmacology
- Epilepsy and Anti-epileptic Drugs
- Parkinson's Disease and Myasthenia Gravis
- Introduction to Psychopharmacology
- Anaesthetics
- Opioids
- Pharmacology of Insulin
From other subjects
Practice questions on SimpleMed+: Neuroanatomy and Psychiatry, Head and Neck, Endocrinology
Gastrointestinal (ISCM block)
21 articles
The gut, liver and pancreas: development, movement, digestion and absorption, then the common diseases, emergencies and cancers, with the nutrition behind them.
Gastrointestinal System
- 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
Metabolism
From other subjects
Practice questions on SimpleMed+: Gastrointestinal System, Metabolism
Years 1 and 2, EIPOM module
End of year examsPsycho-social medicine (EIPOM)
12 articles
How people think about health and illness, and how behaviour, age and mental health shape what patients need from their doctors.
Patient-Centred Care
Neuroanatomy and Psychiatry
From other subjects
Practice questions on SimpleMed+: Population and Social Science, Patient-Centred Care
Biostatistics (EIPOM)
3 articles
Describing data, testing hypotheses and judging evidence.
Practice Population and Social Science questions on SimpleMed+
Epidemiology and public health (EIPOM)
6 articles
Measuring disease in populations, study design, immunisation and the economics of health care.
Population and Social Science
- Introduction to Population Science
- Epidemiological Studies
- Health Economics
- Population and Social Science Summary
From other subjects
Practice questions on SimpleMed+: Population and Social Science, Infection
Medical law and ethics (EIPOM)
4 articles
Safety, safeguarding and prescribing: the practical side of professional duty.
Practice questions on SimpleMed+: Patient-Centred Care, Population and Social Science
Years 1 and 2, MSQC module
End of year examsClinical skills (MSQC)
50 articles
Examination and procedure guides, from blood pressure to the cranial nerves.
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 (gait, arms, legs, spine)
- 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
The wider consultation
Practice questions on SimpleMed+: OSCE, Patient-Centred Care
Professional practice and placements (MSQC)
11 articles
The ward basics for placements, from observations to safeguarding and caring for older people.
OSCE
- Blood Pressure Measurement OSCE Guide
- Venepuncture and Blood Cultures OSCE Guide
- Index Conditions for OSCE exams
Patient-Centred Care
From other subjects
Practice questions on SimpleMed+: Patient-Centred Care, OSCE
How UCLan assesses Phase 1
- Years 1 and 2 run three modules side by side: ISCM, EIPOM and MSQC (UM1011, UM1021 and UM1030 in Year 1; UM2010, UM2021 and UM2030 in Year 2). Each has its own section above.
- UCLan says its end of year exams include computer-based knowledge exams, OSCEs and oral and poster presentations.
- A 2020 student account describes ISCM as six blocks. The UCLan course page does not list the blocks or their year-by-year order, so this page keeps them together and does not guess.
- UCLan 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, based at the Burnley or Westlakes campus. Both parts of the Medical Licensing Assessment (MLA), the Applied Knowledge Test and the Clinical and Professional Skills Assessment, are taken during the course.
This is an independent revision guide written by SimpleMed. It is not endorsed by, or affiliated with, UCLan, the University of Lancashire or its School of Medicine and Dentistry. Module names and codes follow the published course page. The 12 units are the six ISCM blocks, four EIPOM strands and two MSQC sections. The words block and strand do not appear on the UCLan course page: the ISCM block and EIPOM strand names come from student accounts, and the grouping of articles is ours. Some articles appear in more than one unit, so the unit counts add up to more than the number of different articles at the top of this page. Always check your official course materials. Last updated October 2026.
