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[queftzefoni]

Tomorrow we have our first observed clinical evaluation, where we have to interview and examine an actor who pretends to have certain symptoms. There will be a doctor in the room to observe and give feedback.

Comments

[drfell]

5. Listen to the forehead with the stethoscope.

Done that.

Those are great suggestions. I was always a fan of praising the ingenuity of hemorrhagic fever while doing the physical exam. And the tried-and-true: Regardless of what the ailment is or where it's located on the body, insist that it must be cut off. Mutter about demon posession.

[muffinsicon]

Or better yet, declare that the brain is NOT pulsing adequately, and recommend trepanation.

[kprevas]

Go in dressed as an old-timey country doctor and repeatedly praise their pie.

[queftzefoni]

A classmate had a good one: Are you sexually active? Would you like to be?

[drfell]

Which goes back to the old adage: "Do you smoke after sex? No? You're not trying hard enough then."

[mkincaid]

Very entertinaing. So, how'd it go?

[queftzefoni]

Good learning experience. The observer said I was confident and comfortable - two adjectives I would never use to describe myself in everyday life. I think for the first evaluation, they're glad just to see you not panic (or try to do a rectal exam). The standardized patient gave me some good feedback as well.

The case was a little contrived. Guy went to a party, ate some bad sushi, he's been sick all day. If you ask him about whether he did any drinking, it comes out that he had a six pack plus half a bottle of wine, and then drove home. They wanted us to practice using motivational interviewing for alcohol abuse. This was only about the second time I got to do that, but the patient and observer both said I asked good questions.

Nice to have it out of the way, though.