The first question from Anatomy in 2018, was about the Cranial Nerve 4 its course and clinical significance. UPSC Medical Science Paper 1 always has one question from the Topic of Cranial Nerves. In 2017 as well as in 2016 they forgot to include any questions from this topic.
Another question from Anatomy was about the Arches of Foot. While this is a familiar topic during UG years, it was somewhat an unexpected question. Still the topic falls squarely inside the sphere of the overall syllabus.
Joints are all time favorites for UPSC Medical Science Paper 1 setters. In 2018 it was Hip Joint. In 2016 also it was the Hip. In 2017 it was the Shoulder Joint. This constant love affair of UPSC question setters with the joints is almost a settled theme by now. So, if you know properly about the major joints of the Human Body you can reap 15-20 marks easily.
Cerebellum is another topic from where questions are repeatedly coming these years. In 2016 it was asked in Physiology. To have an overall understanding about the anatomy and physiology of Cerebellum could be very beneficial.
The question from embryology this year (2018) was about Placenta. This was a shift from the usual questions from Embryology. Most of the times in the past the questions asked were related to the development of the Heart. In 2016 the question asked was about the development of Inter Arterial Septum.
Even though it is not specifically mentioned in the syllabus given, recently UPSC has taken a liking towards the Blood supply of the Heart. In the 2018 exam, the question asked was about the Coronary arteries and the concept of R or L dominance. May be UPSC is of the opinion that Blood supply of Heart is a must learn for any doctor whether it is in the syllabus or not. In 2016 the question asked was to diagrammatically depict the blood supply in L vs R Coronary artery.
In 2016 two of the anatomy questions asked were related to the Anatomy of the Lower Limb. One was about the nerve supply of the Dorsum, while another one was asked about the dermatomes of the LL. If we read it along with the recent appearance of the Arches of Foot in the question paper, we could see a genuine bias towards lower limb anatomy.
The other anatomy questions for the years 2016, 2017 and 2018 were about the anatomy of the Tounge and its relation to development, Blood supply of the Brainstem and the Anatomical basis of Black Eye.
Anatomy can fetch you almost 40 -50 marks if prepared meticulously. We here are trying to organize and study so that time utilization remains efficient and beneficial topics are covered thoroughly. Answering a question from a familiar topic should not be a trouble. This will give you additional time to summon an answer for those not strictly from the syllabus questions.
