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General Surgery Important Topics and Questions for MBBS
General Surgery is one of the largest subjects of Final Year MBBS, and its papers reward students who know the classic topics well: shock, burns, wounds, the acute abdomen, hernia, breast, thyroid and hepatobiliary disease. This page lists the important General Surgery topics, the questions to practise, and links to Surgery question papers from seven universities.
Compiled from university Surgery papers. SME-reviewed. Updated 2026.
Open General Surgery PYQs in the GeckoMed app for offline access and topic-wise revision.Quick Facts: General Surgery in MBBS
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Subject | General Surgery |
| MBBS phase | Phase 3 Part 2 (Final Year) |
| Curriculum | NMC Competency Based Medical Education (CBME) |
| Paper structure | Usually more than one theory paper; allied specialities such as orthopaedics may be included as per your university scheme |
| Core areas | General principles, trauma, head and neck, breast, gastrointestinal, hepatobiliary, urology, vascular |
| Question formats | Long essays, short notes, short answers, case-based questions |
| PYQ years on GeckoMed | 2025 to 2021 (Tier-1 universities); 2025 to 2023 (other universities) |
Detail
MBBS phase
Information
Phase 3 Part 2 (Final Year)
Detail
Curriculum
Information
NMC Competency Based Medical Education (CBME)
Detail
Paper structure
Information
Usually more than one theory paper; allied specialities such as orthopaedics may be included as per your university scheme
Detail
Core areas
Information
General principles, trauma, head and neck, breast, gastrointestinal, hepatobiliary, urology, vascular
Detail
Question formats
Information
Long essays, short notes, short answers, case-based questions
Detail
PYQ years on GeckoMed
Information
2025 to 2021 (Tier-1 universities); 2025 to 2023 (other universities)
Papers by University
| University | State | General Surgery Question Papers | Paper Years | Important Questions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RGUHS | Karnataka | View papers | 2025, 2024, 2023, 2021 | RGUHS General Surgery |
| KNRUHS | Telangana | View papers | 2025, 2024, 2023, 2021 | KNRUHS General Surgery |
| TNMGRMU | Tamil Nadu | View papers | 2025, 2024, 2023, 2021 | TNMGRMU General Surgery |
| NTRUHS | Andhra Pradesh | View papers | 2025, 2024, 2023 | NTRUHS General Surgery |
| WBUHS | West Bengal | View papers | 2025, 2024, 2023 | WBUHS General Surgery |
| KUHS | Kerala | View papers | 2025, 2024, 2023 | KUHS General Surgery |
| RUHS | Rajasthan | View papers | 2025, 2024, 2023 | RUHS General Surgery |
University
RGUHS
State
Karnataka
General Surgery Question Papers
Paper Years
2025, 2024, 2023, 2021
Important Questions
University
KNRUHS
State
Telangana
General Surgery Question Papers
Paper Years
2025, 2024, 2023, 2021
Important Questions
University
TNMGRMU
State
Tamil Nadu
General Surgery Question Papers
Paper Years
2025, 2024, 2023, 2021
Important Questions
University
NTRUHS
State
Andhra Pradesh
General Surgery Question Papers
Paper Years
2025, 2024, 2023
Important Questions
University
WBUHS
State
West Bengal
General Surgery Question Papers
Paper Years
2025, 2024, 2023
Important Questions
University
KUHS
State
Kerala
General Surgery Question Papers
Paper Years
2025, 2024, 2023
Important Questions
University
RUHS
State
Rajasthan
General Surgery Question Papers
Paper Years
2025, 2024, 2023
Important Questions
Year-wise papers (Tier-1):
RGUHS 2025 · 2024 · 2023 · 2021
KNRUHS 2025 · 2024 · 2023 · 2021
TNMGRMU 2025 · 2024 · 2023 · 2021
National pages:
MBBS Final Year Question Papers
General Surgery Exam Pattern
| Question Type | What Is Usually Asked | How to Structure It |
|---|---|---|
| Long essay | A full condition, such as carcinoma breast or obstructive jaundice | Definition, aetiology, pathology, clinical features, investigations, management, complications |
| Short note | One condition, sign, investigation or operation | Definition, four to six headed points, diagram where useful |
| Short answer | Signs, classifications, eponyms | Two to five crisp points |
| Case-based question | A clinical scenario | Diagnosis with reasons, investigations, management plan |
Question Type
Long essay
What Is Usually Asked
A full condition, such as carcinoma breast or obstructive jaundice
How to Structure It
Definition, aetiology, pathology, clinical features, investigations, management, complications
Question Type
Short note
What Is Usually Asked
One condition, sign, investigation or operation
How to Structure It
Definition, four to six headed points, diagram where useful
Question Type
Short answer
What Is Usually Asked
Signs, classifications, eponyms
How to Structure It
Two to five crisp points
Question Type
Case-based question
What Is Usually Asked
A clinical scenario
How to Structure It
Diagnosis with reasons, investigations, management plan
Exact marks and paper divisions vary by university. Check the Surgery papers for your university.
Topic-Wise Priority Table
Priority reflects syllabus weight and standard textbook emphasis for MBBS General Surgery. It is revision guidance, not a year-by-year frequency count. Paper-wise topic frequency is published in the GeckoMed app as it becomes available.
| System | High-Yield Topics | Priority |
|---|---|---|
| General principles | Shock, fluid and electrolytes, blood transfusion, wound healing, surgical infections | High |
| Burns and trauma | Burns assessment and fluid resuscitation, primary survey in trauma, head injury, chest injury | High |
| Ulcers, sinuses and swellings | Classification of ulcers, sinus and fistula, cysts | Medium |
| Vascular | Varicose veins, deep vein thrombosis, peripheral arterial disease, gangrene | High |
| Head and neck | Thyroid swellings, carcinoma of the tongue and oral cavity, salivary gland tumours, neck swellings | High |
| Breast | Carcinoma breast, fibroadenoma, breast abscess | High |
| Stomach and duodenum | Peptic ulcer and its complications, carcinoma stomach | High |
| Small and large bowel | Acute appendicitis, intestinal obstruction, carcinoma colon and rectum | High |
| Anorectal | Haemorrhoids, fissure-in-ano, fistula-in-ano | Medium |
| Hepatobiliary and pancreas | Gallstones, obstructive jaundice, liver abscess, acute pancreatitis | High |
| Hernia | Inguinal hernia (direct and indirect), femoral and umbilical hernia, complications | High |
| Urology and male genitalia | Renal calculi, benign prostatic hyperplasia, hydrocele, undescended testis, testicular tumours | High |
System
General principles
High-Yield Topics
Shock, fluid and electrolytes, blood transfusion, wound healing, surgical infections
Priority
High
System
Burns and trauma
High-Yield Topics
Burns assessment and fluid resuscitation, primary survey in trauma, head injury, chest injury
Priority
High
System
Ulcers, sinuses and swellings
High-Yield Topics
Classification of ulcers, sinus and fistula, cysts
Priority
Medium
System
Vascular
High-Yield Topics
Varicose veins, deep vein thrombosis, peripheral arterial disease, gangrene
Priority
High
System
Head and neck
High-Yield Topics
Thyroid swellings, carcinoma of the tongue and oral cavity, salivary gland tumours, neck swellings
Priority
High
System
Breast
High-Yield Topics
Carcinoma breast, fibroadenoma, breast abscess
Priority
High
System
Stomach and duodenum
High-Yield Topics
Peptic ulcer and its complications, carcinoma stomach
Priority
High
System
Small and large bowel
High-Yield Topics
Acute appendicitis, intestinal obstruction, carcinoma colon and rectum
Priority
High
System
Anorectal
High-Yield Topics
Haemorrhoids, fissure-in-ano, fistula-in-ano
Priority
Medium
System
Hepatobiliary and pancreas
High-Yield Topics
Gallstones, obstructive jaundice, liver abscess, acute pancreatitis
Priority
High
System
Hernia
High-Yield Topics
Inguinal hernia (direct and indirect), femoral and umbilical hernia, complications
Priority
High
System
Urology and male genitalia
High-Yield Topics
Renal calculi, benign prostatic hyperplasia, hydrocele, undescended testis, testicular tumours
Priority
High
High-Yield Facts to Revise
| Topic | Must-Know Point |
|---|---|
| Rule of nines | Estimates burn area in adults: head 9%, each upper limb 9%, front of trunk 18%, back of trunk 18%, each lower limb 18%, perineum 1% |
| Parkland formula | 4 mL × body weight (kg) × % total body surface area burnt; half in the first 8 hours from the time of burn, the rest over the next 16 hours |
| Primary survey in trauma | Airway with cervical spine protection, Breathing, Circulation, Disability, Exposure |
| Goodsall's rule | Helps predict the internal opening of a fistula-in-ano from the position of its external opening |
| Calot's triangle | Bounded by the cystic duct, common hepatic duct and inferior surface of the liver; contains the cystic artery |
| Direct versus indirect inguinal hernia | Indirect passes lateral to the inferior epigastric vessels through the deep ring; direct passes medial to them through Hesselbach's triangle |
| Charcot's triad | Fever, jaundice and right upper quadrant pain in acute cholangitis |
| Appendicitis score | The Alvarado score supports the clinical diagnosis |
Topic
Rule of nines
Must-Know Point
Estimates burn area in adults: head 9%, each upper limb 9%, front of trunk 18%, back of trunk 18%, each lower limb 18%, perineum 1%
Topic
Parkland formula
Must-Know Point
4 mL × body weight (kg) × % total body surface area burnt; half in the first 8 hours from the time of burn, the rest over the next 16 hours
Topic
Primary survey in trauma
Must-Know Point
Airway with cervical spine protection, Breathing, Circulation, Disability, Exposure
Topic
Goodsall's rule
Must-Know Point
Helps predict the internal opening of a fistula-in-ano from the position of its external opening
Topic
Calot's triangle
Must-Know Point
Bounded by the cystic duct, common hepatic duct and inferior surface of the liver; contains the cystic artery
Topic
Direct versus indirect inguinal hernia
Must-Know Point
Indirect passes lateral to the inferior epigastric vessels through the deep ring; direct passes medial to them through Hesselbach's triangle
Topic
Charcot's triad
Must-Know Point
Fever, jaundice and right upper quadrant pain in acute cholangitis
Topic
Appendicitis score
Must-Know Point
Important General Surgery Questions to Practise
These questions reflect the style used in MBBS university Surgery papers and are not attributed to a specific year or university.
Long Essay Questions
- Classify shock. Discuss the pathophysiology and management of hypovolaemic shock.
- Discuss the assessment and management of a patient with major burns.
- Discuss the aetiology, clinical features, staging and management of carcinoma breast.
- Discuss the causes, investigations and management of obstructive jaundice.
- Discuss the aetiology, clinical features and management of acute intestinal obstruction.
- Describe the clinical features and management of acute appendicitis.
- Discuss the classification, clinical features and management of thyroid swellings.
- Describe the anatomy of the inguinal canal and the management of inguinal hernia.
Short Notes
- Wound healing
- Blood transfusion and its complications
- Gas gangrene
- Tetanus
- Varicose veins
- Deep vein thrombosis
- Diabetic foot
- Glasgow Coma Scale in head injury
- Tension pneumothorax
- Perforated peptic ulcer
- Haemorrhoids
- Fistula-in-ano
- Gallstones
- Acute pancreatitis
- Renal calculi
- Benign prostatic hyperplasia
- Hydrocele
- Undescended testis
How to Prepare for General Surgery Questions
- Build a fixed answer template for conditions: definition, aetiology, pathology, clinical features, investigations, management and complications.
- Learn classifications and eponyms precisely, since they earn quick marks in short answers.
- Link surgery to anatomy. Hernia, thyroid, breast and hepatobiliary questions often need applied anatomy.
- Practise case-based answers by writing a diagnosis with justification before listing investigations.
- Revise with topic pages such as appendicitis, intestinal obstruction, cholecystitis, breast cancer and peptic ulcer.
- Attempt full papers under timed conditions from your university at least twice before the exam.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which General Surgery topics are most important for MBBS exams?
Shock, burns, wound healing, carcinoma breast, thyroid swellings, acute appendicitis, intestinal obstruction, hernia, obstructive jaundice and gallstones carry most of the long essay weight.
Is orthopaedics part of the General Surgery paper?
This depends on the university scheme. Many universities include orthopaedics and other allied specialities within Surgery papers, so check your university's current pattern.
Are these General Surgery questions free on GeckoMed?
Yes. The topic lists and university paper links on this page are free to view. The GeckoMed app adds offline access and topic-wise revision.
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