UPSC Medical Science Syllabus for Optional Paper-I and Paper-II

Medical Science is one of the optional subjects that candidates can choose for the IAS (UPSC CSE) Main Exam. In IAS Mains examination papers 6 and 7 are optional subject papers. You can choose Medical Science as an optional subject if you have graduated with Medical Science as the main subject. A Medical Science paper consists of 250 marks. The duration for each UPSC Mains Medical Science main paper is 3 hours. This article is providing a detailed syllabus of Medical Science for IAS Exam. Check out other UPSC optional syllabi in detail. 

Syllabus of Medical Science Optional Paper I for IAS

1. Human Anatomy:

• Applied anatomy including blood and nerve supply of upper and lower limbs and joints of the shoulder, hip and knee.
• Gross anatomy, blood supply and lymphatic drainage of tongue, thyroid, mammary gland, stomach, liver, prostate, gonads and uterus
• Applied anatomy of diaphragm, perineum and inguinal region.
• Clinical anatomy of kidney, urinary bladder, uterine tubes, vas deferens.
• Embryology: Placenta and placental barrier. Development of heart, gut, kidney, uterus, ovary, testis and their common congenital abnormalities.
• Central and peripheral autonomic nervous system: Gross and clinical anatomy of ventricles of the brain, circulation of cerebrospinal fluid; Neural pathways and lesions of cutaneous sensations, hearing and vision; Cranial nerves, distribution and clinical significance; Components of the autonomic nervous system.

2. Human Physiology:

• Conduction and transmission of impulse, mechanism of contraction, neuromuscular transmission, reflexes, control of equilibrium, posture and muscle tone, descending pathways, functions of the cerebellum, basal ganglia, Physiology of sleep and consciousness.
• Endocrine system: Mechanism of action of hormones, formation, secretion, transport, metabolism, function and regulation of secretion of pancreas and pituitary gland.
• Physiology of reproductive system: menstrual cycle, lactation, pregnancy.
• Blood: Development, regulation and fate of blood cells.
• Cardio-vascular, cardiac output, blood pressure, regulation of cardiovascular functions;

3. Biochemistry:

• Organ function tests-liver, kidney, thyroid
• Protein synthesis. Vitamins and minerals. Restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP). Polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Radioimmunoassays (RIA).

4. Pathology:

Inflammation and repair, disturbances of growth and cancer, Pathogenesis and histopathology of rheumatic and ischemic heart disease and diabetes mellitus. Differentiation between benign, malignant, primary and metastatic malignancies, Pathogenesis and histopathology of bronchogenic carcinoma, carcinoma breast, oral cancer, cancer cervix, leukaemia, Etiology, pathogenesis and histopathology of - cirrhosis liver, glomerulonephritis, tuberculosis, acute osteomyelitis.

5. Microbiology:

Humoral and cell-mediated immunity

Diseases caused by and laboratory diagnosis of-

• Meningococcus, Salmonella
• Shigella, Herpes, Dengue, Polio
• HIV/AIDS, Malaria, E. Histolytica, Giardia
• Candida, Cryptococcus, Aspergillus

6. Pharmacology:

Mechanism of action and side effects of the following drugs

• Antipyretics and analgesics, Antibiotics, Antimalaria; Antikala-Azar, Antidiabetics
• Antihypertensive, Antidiuretics, General and cardiac vasodilators, Antiviral, Antiparasitic, Antifungal, Immunosuppressants
• Anticancer

7. Forensic Medicine and Toxicology: Forensic examination of injuries and wounds; Examination of blood and seminal stains; poisoning, sedative overdose, hanging, drowning, burns, DNA and fingerprint study

IAS (UPSC CSE) Mains Medical Science Paper II Syllabus

1. General Medicine:

• Etiology, clinical features, diagnosis and principles of management (including prevention) of - Tetanus, Rabies, AIDS, Dengue, Kala-azar, Japanese Encephalitis.
• Etiology, clinical features, diagnosis and principles of management of:
• Ischaemic heart disease, pulmonary embolism.
• Bronchial asthma.
• Pleural effusion, tuberculosis, Malabsorption syndromes, acid peptic diseases, Viral hepatitis and cirrhosis of the liver.
• Glomerulonephritis and pyelonephritis, renal failure, nephrotic syndrome, renovascular hypertension, complications of diabetes mellitus, coagulation disorders, leukaemia, Hypo and hyper thyrodism, meningitis and encephalitis.
• Imaging in medical problems, ultrasound, echocardiogram, CT scan, MRI.
• Anxiety and Depressive Psychosis and schizophrenia and ECT.

2. Pediatrics:

Immunization, Baby-friendly hospital, congenital cyanotic heart disease, respiratory distress syndrome, broncho-pneumonias, kernicterus. IMNCI classification and management, PEM grading and management. ARI and Diarrhea of under five and their management.

3. Dermatology:

Psoriasis, Allergic dermatitis, scabies, eczema, vitiligo, Stevan Johnson's syndrome, Lichen Planus.

4. General Surgery:

• Clinical features, causes, diagnosis and principles of management of cleft palate, harelip.
• Laryngeal tumour, oral and oesophagal tumours.
• Peripheral arterial diseases, varicose veins, coarctation of the aorta
• Tumours of Thyroid, Adrenal Glands
• Abscess, cancer, fibroadenoma and adenosis of breast.
• Bleeding peptic ulcer, tuberculosis of bowel, ulcerative colitis, cancer stomach.
• Renal mass, cancer Prostate.
• Haemothorax, stones of Gall bladder, Kidney, Ureter and Urinary Bladder.
• Management of surgical conditions of Rectum, Anus and Anal canal, Gall bladder and Bile ducts
• Splenomegaly, cholecystitis, portal hypertension, liver abscess, peritonitis, carcinoma head of the pancreas.
• Fractures of spine, Colles' fracture and bone tumours.
• Endoscopy, Laparoscopic Surgery.

5. Obstetrics and Gynaecology including Family Planning:

• Diagnosis of pregnancy.
• Labour management, complications of 3rd stage, Antepartum and postpartum haemorrhage, resuscitation of the newborn, Management of abnormal lie and difficult labour, Management of small for a date or premature newborn.
• Diagnosis and management of anaemia. Preeclampsia and Toxaemias of pregnancy, Management of Post menopausal Syndrome.
• Intra-uterine devices, pills, tubectomy and vasectomy. Medical termination of pregnancy including legal aspects.
• Cancer cervix.
• Leucorrhoea, pelvic pain, infertility, dysfunctional uterine bleeding (DUB), amenorrhoea, Fibroid and prolapse of the uterus.

6. Community Medicine (Preventive and Social Medicine):

• Principles, methods, approach and measurements of Epidemiology
• Nutrition, nutritional diseases/disorders & Nutrition Programmes.
• Health information Collection, Analysis and Presentation.
• Objectives, components and critical analysis of National programmes for control/eradication of:
• Malaria, Kala-azar, Filaria and Tuberculosis,
• HIV/AIDS, STDs and Dengue
• Critical appraisal of Health care delivery system.
• Health management and administration: Techniques, Tools, Programme Implementation and Evaluation.
• Objective, Component, Goals and Status of Reproductive and Child Health, National Rural Health Mission and Millennium Development Goals, Management of hospital and industrial waste.

Download UPSC Medical Science Syllabus PDF

Very few applicants choose Medical Science as the UPSC CSE Mains optional. It is always advised to solve previous year papers while preparing for the exam.