Content Outline a joint Program of the Federation of State Medical Boards

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bacteria); hypersplenism 

Congenital disorders 

Adverse effects of drugs on the hematologic and lymphoreticular systems: antiplatelet drugs, 

antithrombin drugs (eg, dabigatran); chemotherapeutic agents; inhibitors of coagulation 

factors; methemoglobinemia, acquired; propylthiouracil; tumor lysis syndrome; warfarin 

 

Behavioral Health

 

Normal Processes 

Psychodynamic and behavioral factors, related past experience (eg, transference, 

personality traits) 

Adaptive behavioral responses to stress and illness (eg, coping mechanisms)  

Maladaptive behavioral responses to stress and illness (eg, drug-seeking behavior, sleep 

deprivation) 

Patient adherence: general adherence; adolescent adherence 

Abnormal Processes: Health and Health Maintenance, Screening, Diagnosis, 

Management, Risks, Prognosis 

Psychotic disorders:  brief psychotic disorder; delusional disorder; psychotic disorder due to 

another medical condition; schizophrenia; schizoaffective disorder; substance-induced 

psychotic disorder 

Anxiety disorders: acute stress disorder; anxiety disorders (generalized anxiety disorder, 

anxiety due to another medical condition, social phobia); hyperventilation syndrome; 

obsessive-compulsive disorder; panic disorder with and without agoraphobia; phobic 

disorders; post-traumatic stress disorder; separation anxiety disorder; substance-induced 

anxiety disorder, trichotillomania 

Mood disorders: major depressive disorder with and without psychotic features, with and 

without seasonal pattern; major depressive disorder, postpartum, with and without 

psychotic features, including screening; cyclothymic disorder; persistent depressive 

disorder (dysthymia); bipolar disorder, manic/depressed/mixed; premenstrual dysphoric 

disorder; bipolar and related disorder or depressive disorder due to another medical 

condition; substance/medication-induced bipolar and related disorder or depressive 

disorder (illegal or prescribed); suicidal ideation/attempt 

Somatoform disorders: body dysmorphic disorder; conversion disorder, including psychogenic 

seizures; dissociative disorders; illness anxiety disorder (hypochondriasis); malingering; 

pain disorder; somatic symptom disorder 

Factitious disorders: factitious disorder imposed on self 

Eating disorders and impulse control disorders: anorexia nervosa; binge-eating disorder; 

bulimia nervosa; eating disorder; disruptive, impulse-control, and conduct disorders (eg, 

gambling, kleptomania, pyromania) 

Disorders originating in infancy/childhood: reactive attachment disorder; attention-

deficit/hyperactivity disorder; speech sound disorder or language disorder; learning 

disorder/dyslexia; intellectual developmental disorder and developmental delay, 

undefined, including school problems, fetal alcohol syndrome; oppositional defiant 

disorder, conduct disorder; autism spectrum disorder, Rett syndrome; psychoses with 

origin specific to childhood; elimination disorders (incontinence, encopresis); tic 

disorders/Tourette disorder 

Personality disorders: antisocial personality disorder; avoidant personality disorder; 

borderline personality disorder; dependent personality disorder; histrionic personality 

disorder; narcissistic personality disorder; obsessive-compulsive personality disorder; 

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paranoid personality disorder; schizoid personality disorder 

Psychosocial disorders/behaviors: adjustment disorder; grief response/bereavement, normal 

and persistent complex; parent-child relational problems other than physical or emotional 

abuse; other psychosocial stress 

Sexual and gender identity disorders: gender dysphoria; psychosexual dysfunction 

Substance use disorders: alcohol use disorder/intoxication/dependence/withdrawal; 

tobacco/nicotine use disorder/dependence/withdrawal; cannabis use 

disorder/intoxication/dependence; hallucinogen use 

disorder/intoxication/dependence/withdrawal; inhalant use 

disorder/intoxication/dependence/withdrawal; opioid, heroin, including prescription drug, 

use disorder/intoxication/dependence/withdrawal; sedative, hypnotic, including 

benzodiazepine and barbiturate use disorder/intoxication/dependence/withdrawal; 

stimulant, cocaine, methamphetamine use 

disorder/intoxication/dependence/withdrawal; other drugs of use disorders (eg, ecstasy, 

PCP, bath salts)/intoxication/dependence/withdrawal; polysubstance use 

disorder/intoxication/dependence/withdrawal 

Adverse effects of drugs: steroid-induced psychosis; varenicline and suicide 

 

Nervous System & Special Senses

 

Normal Processes 

Embryonic development, fetal maturation, and perinatal changes, including neural tube 

derivatives, cerebral ventricles, and neural crest derivatives 

Organ structure and function 

spinal cord 

gross anatomy and blood supply  

spinal reflexes 

brain stem (eg, cranial nerves and nuclei, reticular formation, anatomy and blood 

supply, control of eye movements) 

brain 

gross anatomy and blood supply 

higher function: cognition, language, memory, executive function 

hypothalamic function 

limbic system and emotional behavior  

circadian rhythm sleep-wake disorder 

sensory systems 

general sensory modalities, including sharp, dull, temperature, vibratory, and 

proprioception 

special sensory modalities, including vision, hearing, taste, olfaction, and balance 

motor systems 

brain and spinal cord (upper motoneuron) 

basal ganglia and cerebellum  

autonomic nervous system  

peripheral nerves 

Cell/tissue structure and function, including neuronal cellular and molecular 

biology  

axonal transport 

excitable properties of neurons, axons, and dendrites, including channels 

synthesis, storage, release, reuptake, and degradation of neurotransmitters and 

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