Exam prep

Know what's coming

The exam

Practical: CIA 40 + external 60. The external exam usually means planning a therapeutic diet for a given case, calculating its nutritive value, preparing one or two dishes from the menu, and a viva, with your record notebook. Confirm the exact format with your department.

Practice

Until we have a past paper, practise with the topic quizzes and the likely questions below. Write each essay answer by hand, then check it against its frame.

Mixed quiz and flashcards

Likely questions

Written by us from your syllabus, not copied from any exam paper. Tap one to open its sheet.

Viva questions

Define a normal hospital diet.Unit I Differentiate a clear liquid diet from a full liquid diet.Unit I What is a semi-solid diet? Give two suitable foods.Unit I List four foods to avoid on a soft diet and give the reason.Unit I Why is a high-carbohydrate diet advised in viral hepatitis?Unit II What is a late evening snack? Why is it given in cirrhosis?Unit II How is the fluid allowance calculated in acute nephritis?Unit II Expand DASH and name four of its features.Unit II Why is the Sippy regimen no longer used for peptic ulcer?Unit III Name four high-fibre Indian foods useful in constipation.Unit III Give the composition of WHO low-osmolarity ORS.Unit III How is home-made ORS prepared?Unit III Give the BMI cut-offs for Asian Indians.Unit IV Define glycaemic index and glycaemic load.Unit IV What is a food exchange? Give two examples of cereal exchanges.Unit IV Convert 2000 mg of potassium into mEq.Unit IV What is meant by 'if the gut works, use it'?Unit V Name two routes of tube feeding and when each is used.Unit V How do you find the kcal per mL of a tube feed?Unit V Why is the feeding tube flushed with water before and after feeds?Unit V

Short write-ups

Explain the principles of planning a normal hospital diet, with the formula for ideal body weight.Unit I Write the principles of a full liquid diet and give a 2-hourly feeding schedule.Unit I Explain the principles of a soft diet and list the foods to include and avoid.Unit I Explain the dietary principles in cirrhosis of the liver with ascites.Unit II Compare the dietary management of acute nephritis and nephrotic syndrome.Unit II Explain the dietary principles in chronic kidney disease not on dialysis.Unit II Explain the dietary principles in peptic ulcer.Unit III Explain the role of fibre and fluid in managing constipation.Unit III Write the dietary management of acute diarrhoea.Unit III Explain the dietary principles in obesity.Unit IV Explain the dietary principles in diabetes mellitus.Unit IV Describe leaching of vegetables and list low- and high-potassium foods.Unit IV Compare kitchen-based (blenderised) and commercial tube feeds.Unit V Describe the method of giving a bolus tube feed.Unit V List the complications of tube feeding and how to prevent them.Unit V

Full diet plan for a case

Plan, prepare and calculate the nutritive value of a normal diet for a sedentary adult man.Unit I Plan a full liquid diet for a patient on the third day after surgery and calculate its energy and protein.Unit I Plan a semi-solid diet for an elderly patient with poor teeth and calculate its nutritive value.Unit I Plan, prepare and calculate the nutritive value of a diet for a patient with viral hepatitis.Unit II Plan a diet for a patient with chronic kidney disease (stage 4) and calculate its energy and protein.Unit II Plan and calculate a diet for an overweight man with hypertension and atherosclerosis.Unit II Plan, prepare and calculate the nutritive value of a diet for a patient with duodenal ulcer.Unit III Plan a high-fibre menu for a patient with chronic constipation and calculate its fibre content.Unit III Plan a menu for a patient recovering from acute diarrhoea and calculate its energy and protein.Unit III Plan and calculate a weight-reducing diet for an obese woman.Unit IV Plan, prepare and calculate a diet for an adult with type 2 diabetes.Unit IV Plan a 1500 kcal diabetic diet using the exchange list and check its macronutrient distribution.Unit IV Prepare a kitchen-based blenderised tube feed and calculate its volume, energy, protein and kcal per mL.Unit V Plan the tube feeds for a stroke patient who needs 1800 kcal: recipe, calculation and day plan.Unit V Plan a tube-feeding schedule with a water calculation for a patient on a Ryle's tube.Unit V

Answer frames

How to lay out a long answer, with a write-up check. 19 frames so far.