NRE Step 1 syllabus and high-yield topics
Medicine and surgery make up half the paper. Here's how marks are split and the topics that come up again and again.
On this page
Weightage
| Subject | Approximate MCQs |
|---|---|
| Medicine and allied | 52 |
| Surgery and allied | 48 |
| Obstetrics and gynaecology | 14 |
| Paediatrics | 14 |
| Ophthalmology | 6 |
| ENT | 6 |
| Basic sciences (applied) | About 60 |
These figures are from PM&DC's published structure as summarised in 2026; check the current document on nre.pmdc.pk.
Medicine: high-yield
- Emergencies: ACS, stroke, DKA, status epilepticus, anaphylaxis, sepsis.
- Infections common in Pakistan: enteric fever, dengue, malaria, TB, hepatitis B and C.
- Poisoning: organophosphate, wheat pill, snakebite.
- Electrolytes: hyponatraemia, hyperkalaemia.
- ECGs, blood gases and chest X-rays.
Surgery: high-yield
- Acute abdomen, appendicitis, bowel obstruction, perforation.
- Trauma: ATLS primary survey, head injury, burns.
- Hernias, biliary disease, pancreatitis.
- Urology: renal colic, retention, torsion.
- Orthopaedics: fractures, compartment syndrome, septic arthritis.
Gynaecology and obstetrics
- PPH, pre-eclampsia and eclampsia, ectopic pregnancy.
- Antenatal care, labour, contraception.
Paediatrics
- Febrile child, diarrhoea and dehydration, bronchiolitis, croup.
- Immunisation schedule (EPI Pakistan), growth and development, neonatal jaundice.
Eye and ENT
- Red eye, acute glaucoma, eye injuries.
- Epistaxis, otitis media, tonsillitis, foreign bodies.
Basic sciences
Asked through clinical scenarios: drug mechanisms and side effects, pathology of common diseases, applied anatomy (nerve injuries, hernias), physiology of shock and acid-base, biostatistics and forensic medicine basics.
Frequently asked questions
Which subject has the most marks in NRE Step 1?
Medicine and allied, followed closely by surgery and allied.