The Victorian Regional Committee have partnered with hospitals in Victoria to bring weekly First Part Teaching via Teams.

These sessions are a great opportunity for Victorian trainees to have access to more teaching from different hospital and benefit from a range of educators and knowledge and resource sharing.

Please use the Microsoft Teams link to enter the session, running every Tuesday 11:00am – 12:00pm.

Tuesday 22nd July 2025

Topic: Thermoregulation, Temperature, Obstetric Physiology, Endocrine Physiology

1. Describe the mechanisms by which heat is lost from the body (40% of marks). Outline the mechanisms by which normal body temperature is maintained and regulated. (60% of marks)
 2. Describe the methods of temperature measurement.
 3 Classify the oral hypoglycaemic drugs (20% marks); include their mechanism of action (40% marks) and their most significant side effects (40% marks).
 4. Outline the control of blood glucose.
 5. Outline the role of the hypothalamus.
 6. Describe the functions of the placenta (80% marks). Outline the determinants of placental blood flow (20% marks).
 7. Compare and contrast the physiological changes in the cardiovascular system in pregnancy at term and morbid obesity (BMI > 30).
 8. Outline the influence of pregnancy on pharmacokinetics.

Topic: Measurement, Equipment , Procedural Anatomy

1. Outline the anatomical relations of the trachea relevant to performing a percutaneous tracheostomy
 2. Describe how the values for PaO2, PaCO2, pH and bicarbonate are determined on a blood gas sample.
 3. Explain the following components of an electrocardiogram (ECG) machine; electrodes, leads, amplifiers and filters. (70% of Marks) Outline methods employed to reduce artefact. (30% of Marks)
 4. Compare and contrast non-invasive oscillometric and invasive arterial blood pressure monitoring.
 5. Describe the principles of measurement of arterial haemoglobin oxygen saturation using a pulse oximeter (60% marks). Outline the limitations of this technique (40% marks).
 6. Outline the principles of measurement of end-tidal CO2 using infrared radiation (25% of Marks). Describe the potential sources of error when using this modality and how they may be mitigated (75% of Marks)
 7. Define and explain damping, resonance, critical damping and optimum damping.
 8. Describe the anatomy of the left subclavian vein.
 9. Describe the anatomy relevant to the insertion of an intercostal catheter

Topics: Cellular physiology, Core Pharmacology

1. Explain the mechanisms of transport of substances across cell membranes including appropriate examples (75% marks). Outline the structure and function of the Na+/K+-ATPase pump (25% marks).
 2. Explain the mechanisms responsible for the cell resting membrane potential (60% of marks) and describe the Gibbs Donnan effect (40% of marks)
 3. How do chemical messengers in the extracellular fluid bring about changes in cell function? Give an example of a chemical messenger for each mechanism noted.
 4. What are receptors? (20% marks). Discuss the relationship between the properties of a drug and potential receptor response under the following headings: agonists, partial agonists, inverse agonists and antagonists (80% marks)
 5. Classify and describe adverse drug reactions with examples of each.
 6. Define bioavailability (10% of marks). Outline the factors which affect it (90% of marks).
 7. Define volume of distribution (15% of marks). Outline the factors affecting volume of distribution (60% of marks) and explain how it may be measured (25% of marks).
 8. Explain the difference and the clinical relevance, between zero and first order kinetics. (60% marks) Give an example that is relevant to intensive care practice. (40% marks)
 9. Classify and describe the mechanisms of drug interactions with examples.

Topic: Anatomy of the respiratory system, Pulmonary circulation, Pulmonary gas volumes , Pulmonary function tests

1. Describe the anatomical course and relations of the trachea and bronchial tree (to the level of the segmental bronchi).Define functional residual capacity (10% marks). 
 2. Describe the anatomical (20% marks) and physiological (80% marks) features of the pulmonary circulation 
 3. Compare and contrast the systemic circulation with the pulmonary circulation.
 4. Define closing capacity (10% of marks). Describe the factors that alter it (30% of marks), its clinical significance (30% of marks) and one method of measuring it (30% of marks).
 5. Draw and explain a normal respiratory flow-volume loop (25% of marks) and compare these with the loops for patients with severe obstructive (25% of marks) and restrictive (25% of marks) lung disease. Explain how the diffusive capacity of the respiratory system is measured and what may cause high or low values (25% of marks).
 6. What is functional residual capacity and describe how it is measured.
 7. Describe the cough reflex.

Topic: Control of ventilation, Mechanics of breathing

1. Define respiratory compliance, include its components and their normal values (25% marks). Explain the factors that affect respiratory compliance (75% marks).
 2. What is lung compliance and how is it measured? 
 3. Explain the concept of time constants and relate these to "fast" and "slow" alveoli.
 4. What factors affect airway resistance? (80% of marks). Briefly outline how it may be measured and/or changes in flow are detected. (20% of marks)
 5. Explain the significance of the vertical gradient of pleural pressure (50%) and the effect of positioning on respiratory mechanics (50%)
 6. Describe the work of breathing and its components.
 7. Describe the production, properties, and role of surfactant.
 8. Explain the control of breathing.
 9. Explain the detection and response to hypoxaemia.

Topic: Gas transport in the blood, Respiratory pharmacology

1. Describe the oxygen cascade in a person breathing room air at sea level.
 2. Describe the movement of carbon dioxide from the cell to the atmosphere
 3. Describe the carriage of oxygen in the blood, including total oxygen delivery per minute.
 4. Explain the oxyhaemoglobin dissociation curve and the factors that may alter it.
 5. Describe how carbon dioxide (CO2) is carried in the blood.
 6. Explain the carbon dioxide dissociation curve and the factors that may alter it.
 7. Describe the pharmacology of oxygen
 8. Describe the mechanism of action, and adverse effects, of pulmonary vasodilators that are administered via the inhalational route.
 9. Categorise the drugs used in the treatment of asthma, give examples and outline their mechanisms of action.