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A Very Tepid Defense of the Physical Exam

Sensible Medicine

Doctors of a certain age tend to fetishize the physical exam. I think this is because learning the physical exam is an important part of the socialization of the doctor. Though with every passing day I feel more and more like part of the old guard, I can only give the exam a tepid defense.

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Could AI perform a patient's physical exam?

Medical Economics

A Mass General Brigham study suggests that LLMs could be used to aid clinicians during physical exams.

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Should Physicians Follow Hollywood's Script?

Sensible Medicine

EHR and tech companies are combining years of medical training and practice with data input (including vital signs, physical exam findings, labs) to generate diagnoses and plans for patients via algorithms. It also serves as the basis for algorithms to support the AI revolution.

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A (re)Visit to an Old-Fashioned Doctor

Sensible Medicine

Old-fashioned doctors spend whatever time it takes to obtain a good medical history and physical examination. The history and physical exam is not something to be fetishized but something to be recognized as a time saver. An exam finding does, on occasion, make you feel more comfortable with your diagnosis.

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Your Health Doesn’t Take a Summer Break: Why June Is the Perfect Time for a Checkup

Minority Nurse

Many doctors will suggest a yearly physical exam to screen for medical issues, but how often you go for a routine exam is up to you. One of the benefits of a routine physical exam is ensuring youre feeling at your best.

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Friday Reflection 44: Diagnostic Enigma

Sensible Medicine

Take your time collecting the medical history, doing the physical exam, and reviewing the reams of outside records that are sure to accompany the patient. Her diagnosis was made almost entirely from data available on her history and physical exam. Let enigmatic visits run long. This was the case with PJ.

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Friday Reflection 27: The Poor Historian

Sensible Medicine

Often, the inability of a doctor to obtain a history is actually a physical exam finding – an extremely non-specific finding, but a finding nonetheless. There is a differential diagnosis for the patient who cannot describe the history of their medical concerns.