History of the WCQ

For over 20 years the Pulmonary Division of Mt. Sinai Hospital, Cleveland, Ohio, sponsored a yearly "World Class Quiz" in Pulmonary Medicine and Physiology. The Quiz was designed for the interns and residents training at the hospital, and cash prizes were awarded the winners. With the closing of Mt. Sinai Hospital in February 2000, the Quiz was canceled as well. However, now that its creator and author, Dr. Lawrence Martin, has moved to Cleveland's University Hospitals Health System, the Quiz is re-born -- for UHHS residents and interns. In addition, the Quiz is also open to...THE ENTIRE WORLD!

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Sponsorship of the WCQ

The Quiz is sponsored by the Mt. Sinai Medical Society, a not-for-profit organization responsible for overseeing teaching funds donated to Mt. Sinai Hospital over the years.

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Who is eligible to enter and win

There are TWO eligibility categories, each with identical prizes (total $2500 will be awarded, $1250 in each category). The first category - current house staff (interns and residents in all specialties) at UHHS-affiliated hospitals -- comprises about 200 young physicians, all in the Cleveland, Ohio area. The second category - the rest of the world -- comprises about 5 billion people. THERE IS NO COMPETITION BETWEEN THE TWO GROUPS! Identical cash prizes will go to each group.

Why two groups of contestants? The reason for the first group is because Dr. Martin is a pulmonary physician at University Hospitals of Cleveland and wishes to continue the tradition of the Quiz, which originated with house staff he knew personally. The WCQ is designed with house staff (interns, residents) in mind. The reason for the second group of contestants is because this is truly a World Class Quiz, and should also be open to the whole world. (Note: Included in this second or 'entire world' group are current faculty and post-graduate fellows at UHHS-affiliated hospitals, and medical students at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine.)

To summarize:

• House staff at any UHHS-affiliated hospital --> 3 cash prizes, totalling $1250
  
• The rest of humanity --> 3 cash prizes, totalling $1250
  

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Makeup of the WCQ

This 2001 edition of the World Class Quiz consists of 60 multiple choice questions, each with only one correct answer. Except for a few questions based on medical history and some selected trivia, all questions are in the field of pulmonary and critical care medicine. Many of the questions are based on information available in books and papers within Dr. Martin's Pulmonary web site, and "Hints" for selected questions link to pages in this site. However, all information necessary to answer the questions is also available in standard printed texts. The questions and instructions have been thoroughly reviewed for this new edition of the Quiz, and every effort has been made to make everything clear and unambiguous. There should be ZERO errors of spelling, grammar or syntax. Please let Dr. Martin know if you find any errors. In fairness to others, Dr. Martin cannot discuss any aspect of the test until after the deadline (other than acknowledging an error, if found).

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Rules, How to enter, etc.

1) The deadline for all entries is Wednesday, February 28, 2001. Since the WCQ was posted on July 24, 2000, that gives anyone interested ample time to learn about the Quiz and work on the questions. Answer sheets received after the deadline will not be scored. Only one entry is allowed per person.

2) There are three ways to enter: a) by FAX, b) snail mail, or c) e-mail.

a) By FAX: Use the printed answer sheet on the site and fax it to the number listed below. On this sheet you merely CIRCLE the correct answers. Answers printed on any other sheet will not be scored. Our experience is that hand written answers are often illegible or confusing (e.g., "c" sometimes looks like "e"). Fax your answer sheet to:
Lawrence Martin, M.D.
FAX No. 216-464-2005

b)By SNAIL MAIL: Use the printed answer sheet on the site. On this sheet you merely CIRCLE the correct answers. Again, answers printed on any other sheet will not be scored, for the same reasons stated above. Mail the answer sheet to:
Lawrence Martin, M.D.
University Mednet
9000 Mentor Avenue
Mentor, Ohio 44060

c) By E-MAIL. Copy the e-mail answer form to Word or Wordperfect (or any other word processor). The e-mail form is merely a list of numbers from 1 - 60. When you've copied it to a word processing format, beside each number type in your answer (a, b, c, etc.), then copy the completed form (using your computer mouse, select Edit, then Copy) and paste it to an e-mail message. Send e-mail to

martin@lightstream.net

3) Entries may be submitted at any time before the deadline. The date of entry won't matter, as long as it is before the deadline. Please make sure your address and phone number are written on the answer sheet, so we can contact you if necessary.

4) If you want acknowledgment that we received your e-mail answer sheet, just ask for a return to sender message when you send it. If you want acknowlegement of receipt of the paper answer sheet (fax or surface mail), please ask for this on the answer sheet along with your e-mail address, and we'll e-mail a response.

5) In all cases, we cannot be responsible if your answer sheet doesn't get to us, although if it is mailed or faxed properly, we should receive it. Once submitted, the answer sheet cannot be returned to the sender. Please keep a copy of your answer sheet. Answers will be posted on this site after the deadline.

6) In the event of ties for the winning score, there will be a 'playoff.' (This is fairer than just putting the names in a hat and choosing one). The people who tie for the highest score will be asked to answer a much shorter quiz (approximately 10 questions) over a much shorter time period (approximately 2 weeks). Conceivably there could be more than one playoff, but again this is highly unlikely. In any case, chances are excellent that if you do get all 60 questions correct you will win a cash prize (no guarantees, though).

7) The Quiz is not easy. For anyone studying for the Boards (particularly in internal medicine), this Quiz is an excellent review if you investigate each question. Some of the answers can perhaps be argued if one resorts to semantics, but there is only one best or correct answer. Please read each question carefully before finalizing your answer. Note that in some questions the correct answer is the least likely statement, whereas in other questions the correct answer is the most likely statement. If you think there is more than one correct answer, please choose the best one.

8) We reserve the right to make changes in this Quiz before the deadline, if necessitated by errors or new information that comes to our attention. If the change will materially affect the question's answer, we will either give credit if you've already submitted the answer sheet, or discard the question altogether. (In other words, we'll try to be fair to all entrants if we screwed up a question.) It is recommended that you check for any changes in the questions before handing in your answer sheet.

9)The winners, along with the correct answers, will be announced on this web site shortly after the deadline.

END OF RULES

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Go to Part I, Questions 1-30/ Go to Part II, Questions 31-60/ Answer Sheet/ Return to Introduction

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