Writing long essay questions during your life science degree is a skill you need to acquire, and here are a few tips that hopefully will help you construct your answers!
When thinking about long answer-type questions, it is important to first highlight the keywords that make the basics of the concept at hand. I find using flashcards particularly useful! Take a concept that you are trying to explain and make a mindmap of all the keywords. This will tell you the ideas you need to focus on and the flow you might need to explore them in. I usually use a flashcard to note this as it makes the concept bitesize!
With the keywords ready, you are all set to write your answers!
Following this, use the initial paragraph to explore the basic principles that contribute to the process/concept (in the context of biomedicine, for example, explore the anatomy and its importance in the process at hand). This will establish a good background for explaining the process.
Once the foundation is set, move to the process/concept in hand and start detailing the key steps that occur during the process. I usually build on this using a diagram with numbers and arrows (like in some of the textbooks). Many people are visual learners, and hence presenting the answer with a figure will make things a lot easier for you! This is the step where you also need to detail the unusual/ expectations that might relate to a concept/process if relevant to establish a stark contrast with the normal.
Additional aspects that link to the process (perhaps in the form of receptors that are relatively less contributing) need to be mentioned as you begin to conclude the answer. It is good practice to quote any additional knowledge you gained by further reading here (this will definitely push your grades up)!
Although this process can be intimidating initially, you will get better as you keep working on it! I hope this helps! Best of luck!