Are you looking for a fun way to test your medical knowledge or engage a group of healthcare workers? I’ve compiled over 100 healthcare trivia questions that are perfect for medical students, healthcare professionals, or anyone interested in medicine and health topics.
I love using healthcare trivia during my nursing school study groups – it transforms learning into something truly enjoyable while helping everyone retain important information. There’s something especially satisfying about watching a room full of medical students light up when they nail a particularly challenging question!
General Medicine Trivia
This section covers a wide range of medical knowledge from common procedures to important medical discoveries. These questions test your general medical knowledge and are perfect for healthcare professionals across different specialties.
- What is the most common type of heart disease in the United States?
Answer: Coronary artery disease - What part of the brain is responsible for balance and coordination?
Answer: Cerebellum - What does the acronym “CPR” stand for?
Answer: Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation - What is the normal resting heart rate for adults?
Answer: 60-100 beats per minute - Which blood type is known as the universal donor?
Answer: O negative - What is the largest organ in the human body?
Answer: Skin - What does “BMI” stand for in healthcare?
Answer: Body Mass Index - What does the “H” in HIPAA stand for?
Answer: Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act - What are the four main blood types?
Answer: A, B, AB, and O - What is the name for the procedure that uses sound waves to create images of the inside of the body?
Answer: Ultrasound - What is the name of the protein that carries oxygen in the blood?
Answer: Hemoglobin - What is the medical term for high blood pressure?
Answer: Hypertension - What element makes up approximately 65% of the human body?
Answer: Oxygen - What is the recommended adult blood pressure reading?
Answer: Less than 120/80 mmHg - What does “NPO” stand for in medical instructions?
Answer: Nil Per Os (nothing by mouth) - What vitamin deficiency causes scurvy?
Answer: Vitamin C - What is the medical term for inflammation of the liver?
Answer: Hepatitis - Which vaccine was developed to prevent polio?
Answer: Salk vaccine (IPV) and Sabin vaccine (OPV) - What is the approximate pH of human blood?
Answer: 7.35-7.45 - What is the medical term for a nosebleed?
Answer: Epistaxis
For deeper conversations beyond trivia, explore these deep topics to talk about that can help healthcare providers connect on more meaningful levels.
Anatomy & Physiology Trivia
How well do you know the human body? This section tests your knowledge of anatomy and physiology – essential knowledge for anyone in healthcare. From bones to blood vessels, these questions cover the amazing systems that make up the human body.
- How many bones are in the adult human body?
Answer: 206 - What is the largest bone in the human body?
Answer: Femur (thigh bone) - Which organ is responsible for producing insulin?
Answer: Pancreas - What is the name of the valve between the left atrium and left ventricle?
Answer: Mitral valve (bicuspid valve) - How many chambers does the human heart have?
Answer: Four (two atria and two ventricles) - Which part of the brain is responsible for regulating basic bodily functions like breathing and heart rate?
Answer: Brainstem (specifically the medulla oblongata) - What is the name of the tough, fibrous tissue that connects muscles to bones?
Answer: Tendon - Which gland produces growth hormone?
Answer: Pituitary gland - What is the medical term for the collarbone?
Answer: Clavicle - Which cranial nerve is responsible for sense of smell?
Answer: Olfactory nerve (Cranial Nerve I) - What is the name for the small air sacs in the lungs where gas exchange occurs?
Answer: Alveoli - Which blood vessels carry blood away from the heart?
Answer: Arteries - What is the name of the membrane that surrounds the lungs?
Answer: Pleura - Which part of the nephron filters blood in the kidneys?
Answer: Glomerulus - What are the three types of muscle tissue?
Answer: Skeletal, cardiac, and smooth muscle - Which of the following is not one of the four primary tissue types: epithelial, connective, muscle, nervous, or digestive?
Answer: Digestive (not a primary tissue type) - What is the medical term for the kneecap?
Answer: Patella - Where is cerebrospinal fluid produced?
Answer: Choroid plexus - What is the largest artery in the human body?
Answer: Aorta - Which organ is primarily responsible for detoxifying blood?
Answer: Liver
After testing your anatomy knowledge, you might enjoy exploring philosophical questions that challenge our understanding of health, medicine, and the body.
Medical History Trivia
From ancient healing practices to modern medical breakthroughs, this section explores the fascinating history of healthcare. Test your knowledge about the innovators and innovations that have shaped modern medicine.
- Who is considered the “Father of Modern Medicine”?
Answer: Hippocrates - In what year was penicillin discovered by Alexander Fleming?
Answer: 1928 - Who performed the first successful human heart transplant?
Answer: Dr. Christiaan Barnard - What ancient civilization is known for early advances in surgery and embalming techniques?
Answer: Ancient Egyptians - Who discovered X-rays in 1895?
Answer: Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen - Which disease was the first to be globally eradicated through vaccination?
Answer: Smallpox - Who is credited with pioneering modern nursing during the Crimean War?
Answer: Florence Nightingale - What was the name of the first cloned mammal, a sheep, in 1996?
Answer: Dolly - Which physician published the first accurate description of human blood circulation in 1628?
Answer: William Harvey - Who is known as the “Father of Immunology”?
Answer: Edward Jenner - What was the first successful antibiotic?
Answer: Penicillin - In what year was the structure of DNA discovered by Watson and Crick?
Answer: 1953 - Who developed the first polio vaccine?
Answer: Jonas Salk - What pandemic killed an estimated 50 million people worldwide between 1918-1920?
Answer: Spanish Flu (H1N1 influenza) - Who invented the first microscope, enabling the study of microorganisms?
Answer: Antonie van Leeuwenhoek - What was the first organ successfully transplanted between humans?
Answer: Kidney - Who is known for pioneering antiseptic surgical techniques in the 1860s?
Answer: Joseph Lister - What ancient Greek physician wrote the Hippocratic Oath?
Answer: Hippocrates - In what year was the first human genome completely sequenced?
Answer: 2003 - Who discovered the bacterium that causes tuberculosis?
Answer: Robert Koch
For those who enjoy historical perspectives, check out these hypothetical questions that can spark interesting discussions about medical ethics and historical turning points.
Pharmacology Trivia
How well do you know your medications? This section tests your knowledge of drugs, their uses, mechanisms, and impacts. Essential knowledge for healthcare providers and fascinating for anyone interested in how medications work.
- What class of drugs is used to decrease stomach acid production?
Answer: Proton pump inhibitors - What medication is the most commonly used painkiller worldwide?
Answer: Acetaminophen (Paracetamol) - Which drug class is primarily used to treat high cholesterol?
Answer: Statins - What does the pharmaceutical abbreviation “bid” mean?
Answer: Twice a day (bis in die) - Which drug is commonly used as an antidote for acetaminophen overdose?
Answer: N-acetylcysteine (NAC) - What class of medications is used to treat diabetes by increasing insulin sensitivity?
Answer: Thiazolidinediones (TZDs) - Which drug class is known as “water pills” and increases urine production?
Answer: Diuretics - What medication is used as an emergency treatment for severe allergic reactions?
Answer: Epinephrine (Adrenaline) - Which antibiotic class should generally be avoided in children due to potential effects on bone and teeth development?
Answer: Tetracyclines - What does “PRN” stand for in medication orders?
Answer: Pro Re Nata (as needed) - Which drug was originally developed as a heart medication but is now primarily used for erectile dysfunction?
Answer: Sildenafil (Viagra) - What is the antidote for opioid overdose?
Answer: Naloxone (Narcan) - Which medication is commonly used as a blood thinner to prevent clots?
Answer: Warfarin (Coumadin) - What drug class is used to treat anxiety and typically has names ending in “-azepam”?
Answer: Benzodiazepines - Which medication is used to reverse the effects of benzodiazepines?
Answer: Flumazenil - What is the most commonly prescribed class of antidepressants?
Answer: Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) - What substance found in grapefruit can interfere with the metabolism of many medications?
Answer: Furanocoumarins - Which class of drugs is used to treat hypertension by blocking the renin-angiotensin system?
Answer: ACE inhibitors - What is the generic name for Tylenol?
Answer: Acetaminophen - Which medication is used to dissolve blood clots during a heart attack or stroke?
Answer: Tissue Plasminogen Activator (tPA)
Looking for more intellectual stimulation? Try these science riddles that challenge your medical and scientific reasoning.
Public Health Trivia
Public health initiatives have shaped our modern world in countless ways. This section tests your knowledge of epidemiology, preventive medicine, and major public health challenges and achievements throughout history.
- What is the leading cause of preventable death worldwide?
Answer: Tobacco use - Which organization is the United Nations’ specialized agency for international public health?
Answer: World Health Organization (WHO) - What was the first disease to be eliminated in the Americas through vaccination?
Answer: Smallpox - What is herd immunity?
Answer: When a large portion of a population becomes immune to a disease, making its spread unlikely - Which virus caused a global pandemic beginning in 2019?
Answer: SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) - What is the recommended age for beginning colorectal cancer screening for average-risk adults?
Answer: 45 years old - Which vitamin is routinely added to milk to prevent rickets?
Answer: Vitamin D - What is the leading cause of death globally?
Answer: Cardiovascular disease - Which disease is caused by a deficiency of vitamin C?
Answer: Scurvy - What percentage of healthcare-associated infections can be prevented through proper hand hygiene?
Answer: Approximately 30-50% - Which mosquito-borne disease kills the most people globally each year?
Answer: Malaria - What is the minimum recommended duration for hand washing with soap and water?
Answer: 20 seconds - Which vaccination is recommended during pregnancy to protect newborns from pertussis?
Answer: Tdap (Tetanus, Diphtheria, and Pertussis) - What is the most common sexually transmitted infection globally?
Answer: Human Papillomavirus (HPV) - Which public health initiative dramatically reduced tooth decay in the United States?
Answer: Water fluoridation - What age group is at highest risk for suicide in the United States?
Answer: Middle-aged adults (45-54) - What percentage of the human body is water (approximately)?
Answer: 60% - Which type of fat is considered most harmful to cardiovascular health?
Answer: Trans fats - What is the BMI range considered “overweight”?
Answer: 25-29.9 - What is the leading cause of blindness globally?
Answer: Cataracts
If you’re interested in health communication, explore these conversation starters for texting that can help healthcare providers build rapport with patients.
Medical Terminology Trivia
Understanding medical terminology is essential for healthcare professionals. This section tests your knowledge of the language of medicine – from common prefixes and suffixes to specific terms used across healthcare disciplines.
- What does the prefix “brady-” mean in medical terms?
Answer: Slow - What is the medical term for excessive sweating?
Answer: Hyperhidrosis - What does the suffix “-itis” indicate?
Answer: Inflammation - What is the medical term for low blood sugar?
Answer: Hypoglycemia - What does the prefix “hyper-” mean?
Answer: Above, excessive, or high - What is the medical term for difficulty swallowing?
Answer: Dysphagia - What does the suffix “-ectomy” mean?
Answer: Surgical removal - What is the medical term for involuntary grinding of teeth?
Answer: Bruxism - What does the prefix “dys-” indicate?
Answer: Difficult, painful, or abnormal - What is the medical term for fainting?
Answer: Syncope - What does the suffix “-algia” mean?
Answer: Pain - What is the medical term for inflammation of the appendix?
Answer: Appendicitis - What does the prefix “tachy-” indicate?
Answer: Fast or rapid - What is the medical term for morning sickness?
Answer: Hyperemesis gravidarum - What does the suffix “-pnea” refer to?
Answer: Breathing - What is the medical term for a blood clot?
Answer: Thrombus - What does the prefix “hemi-” mean?
Answer: Half - What is the medical term for persistent elevated blood pressure?
Answer: Hypertension - What does the suffix “-emia” indicate?
Answer: Blood condition - What is the medical term for the presence of abnormal amounts of fat in the liver?
Answer: Hepatic steatosis (fatty liver)
For healthcare students looking to bond, check out these questions to ask your best friends that can help strengthen relationships during the challenging years of medical training.
Why Healthcare Trivia is Perfect for Medical Professionals
Healthcare trivia offers the perfect blend of education and entertainment for medical professionals and students. It reinforces important knowledge in a low-pressure, enjoyable format while providing a welcome mental break from the intensity of medical training or practice.
I’ve used these questions during hospital staff meetings and found they’re excellent for building camaraderie among healthcare teams. One respiratory therapist in our department actually credits our weekly trivia sessions with helping her pass her specialty board exams!
If you’re looking for more engaging ways to connect with colleagues or peers, check out these interesting topics to talk about that work perfectly in professional settings.
Final Thoughts
I hope you’ve enjoyed testing your healthcare knowledge with these trivia questions! Whether you’re a medical student looking to reinforce your learning, a healthcare professional wanting a fun team-building activity, or simply someone curious about medicine, trivia offers an engaging way to learn and connect.
My nursing cohort regularly used healthcare trivia to prepare for exams, and I was amazed at how much better we retained information when it was presented in this format. The friendly competition and immediate feedback made learning more effective and enjoyable!
Did you know all the answers? Which section did you find most challenging? Consider using these questions during your next staff meeting, study group, or even at a healthcare-themed party!
For more engaging content and conversation starters, explore our collection of trivia questions for couples that can be adapted for healthcare professionals working together.