Clinical History Taking and Examination

Book excerpt: This innovative new textbook has been written and designed to meet the needs of students in today's medical curriculum. It takes an integrative, common-sense approach to the topic of history taking and examination, incorporating - where necessary - relevant anatomy, physiology, pathology and other aspects of clinical medicine: Each major topic is covered in a series of two-page learning units which feature: • Concise yet comprehensive text • Fully integrated colour diagrams and clinical photographs • Summary tables for quick reference • 'key point' boxes for reinforcement and revision An introductory section details the basic tenets of history taking, sequence of examination and common clinical signs. Next follows a system-by-system overview of examination techniques and the common clinical conditions encountered. A third section considers special topics such as exam taking technique, doctor-patient communication and dealing with potentially violent patients or those unable to provide a history. The text is written by a hospital physician using a minimum of medical jargon and with close attention to the essential information and techniques that every student must know.