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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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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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Friday Reflection 44: Diagnostic Enigma

Sensible Medicine

2 Common puzzles test diagnostic reasoning. Uncommon puzzles test knowledge of differential diagnoses. 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. My habit is not to order tests at the first visit.

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

Minority Nurse

However, people with a family history of medical conditions such as high blood pressure, obesity, heart disease, and even cancer are strongly encouraged to get regular checkups to test for risk factors and monitor their health. One of the benefits of a routine physical exam is ensuring youre feeling at your best.

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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. However, contrary to a standardized test on which the medical history is presented in a paragraph of clean prose, it requires skill to obtain a medical history.

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Rehumanizing the Patient Experience

Minority Nurse

We wait for the test results. Doctors see patients in rushed 15-minute appointments, often without a cursory physical exam. One aspect of being a healthcare consumer that can be most maddening is the hours of time spent waiting for things to happen. We wait to see the provider. We wait for our IV to be started.

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Telehealth Analysis: The Pros & Cons

We Care Online

While video calls allow for visual assessments, certain aspects of a physical exam—such as checking vital signs, palpating areas of pain, or listening to a patient’s heart and lungs—cannot be replicated remotely. This limitation means that telehealth may not be suitable for all medical concerns.