Goals

To develop skills and knowledge for clinical reasoning, including:

• Appropriate history and physical examination
• Establishing and testing a differential diagnosis
• Appropriate use of laboratory testing, imaging methods, and other clinical testing
• Therapeutic decision-making

Objectives

The student will develop the ability to:

• Demonstrate appropriate history-taking and interviewing skills
• Perform a well-organized physical examination appropriate for the patient's chief complaint or needs
• Select the appropriate diagnostic equipment necessary to complete an examination and use the equipment correctly
• Document and/or present a focused history and physical examination in an organized fashion according to a standardized format
• Synthesize historical and physical data in order to develop a problem list or differential diagnosis
• Order appropriate labs and ancillary studies in a fiscally responsible manner – using evidence-based practices
• Initiate an evidence-based management plan for specific patient problems
• Demonstrate communication skills with the patient, families, and other members of the healthcare team
• Discuss the importance of interprofessional teams and working knowledge of each member’s skill set
• Assess the patient’s medical status and need for rapid assessment
• Assess personal and team base strengths and weaknesses through self-evaluation