MBBS Physiology Syllabus - Full Topic List

Short answer to your original question: yes, all major systems below are officially part of the MBBS physiology curriculum (e.g., India's NMC Competency Based Medical Education framework, and mirrored in standard reference texts like Guyton & Hall, Ganong's, Costanzo, and Boron & Boulpaep). You are expected to understand every system to some depth, though the level of detail expected in exams is usually less than what these 1000+ page textbooks cover — the textbooks include extra depth for reference/research, not all of which is exam-relevant.

Core Units/Systems Covered

1. General Physiology

Cell structure and function, homeostasis, transport across cell membranes
Body fluid compartments, osmosis, diffusion, active transport
Genetics and cell signaling basics

2. Hematology (Blood)

Plasma proteins, RBCs, WBCs, platelets
Erythropoiesis, hemoglobin, anemia, jaundice
Blood groups, Rh system, transfusion
Hemostasis, coagulation, bleeding/clotting disorders
Immunity (innate and acquired)

3. Nerve and Muscle Physiology

Resting membrane potential, action potential
Nerve conduction, synaptic transmission, neuromuscular junction
Skeletal, smooth, and cardiac muscle physiology (excitation-contraction coupling)

4. Cardiovascular System (CVS)

Cardiac muscle physiology, cardiac cycle, heart sounds
ECG basics, arrhythmias
Cardiac output and its regulation
Blood pressure regulation, hemodynamics
Regional circulations (coronary, cerebral, pulmonary, splanchnic)
Shock and cardiovascular reflexes

5. Respiratory System (RS)

Mechanics of breathing, lung volumes/capacities, spirometry
Gas exchange, transport of O2 and CO2
Regulation of respiration
Hypoxia, cyanosis, respiratory acid-base disorders
High altitude and special environment physiology

6. Renal Physiology and Body Fluids

Nephron function, glomerular filtration (GFR)
Tubular reabsorption/secretion
Urine concentration and dilution mechanisms
Acid-base balance (renal regulation)
Micturition reflex
Body fluid volume and osmolarity regulation

7. Gastrointestinal System (GIT)

Digestion and absorption of nutrients
GI motility, secretions (salivary, gastric, pancreatic, biliary)
GI hormones
Liver functions

8. Endocrine System

Hypothalamo-pituitary axis
Thyroid, parathyroid, adrenal glands
Endocrine pancreas (insulin, glucagon, diabetes mellitus)
Calcium and bone metabolism
Growth hormone

9. Reproductive System

Male and female reproductive physiology
Menstrual cycle, pregnancy, lactation
Puberty and menopause

10. Central Nervous System (CNS) / Neurophysiology

Sensory physiology (touch, pain, proprioception)
Motor physiology (pyramidal/extrapyramidal tracts, cerebellum, basal ganglia)
Reflexes, spinal cord organization
Higher functions: learning, memory, sleep, EEG, autonomic nervous system
Cerebrospinal fluid, blood-brain barrier

11. Special Senses

Vision (eye, retina, visual pathway)
Hearing (ear, cochlea, auditory pathway)
Taste and smell
Vestibular apparatus and balance

Study Tips

Most Indian MBBS courses (NMC CBME) list specific "competencies" per topic in the NMC UG Curriculum document - checking the exact competency codes (PY1.1, PY2.3, etc.) for your subject tells you precisely what's examinable versus supplementary.
Standard textbooks such as Guyton & Hall, Ganong's Review, and Costanzo cover this same system-wise structure, so any one of them (or a concise Indian text like AK Jain's Textbook of Physiology) maps directly onto this list.
Not every subsection in a 1000-page reference text needs rote memorization - focus on mechanisms, regulation, and clinical correlations for each system, since that's what's tested in both theory and practical/viva exams.

If you want, I can break any one of these systems (e.g., CVS or CNS) into a detailed sub-topic checklist with page references from Guyton or Ganong's in the library.

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