Principle:

  1. Examine intelligently
  2. Ask questions appropriately
  3. Focus on how to present yourself and pick up the important physical signs
  4. Think about the common things
  5. Demonstrate foresight

 

General Approach to clinical cases:

  1. Introduce yourself and establish rapport
  2. Take care to appropriately expose the patient
  3. Examine the relevant parts, start with the hands
  4. Accuarately identify problems
  5. Derive possible further investigations that could be done
  6. Generate a list of differential diagnoses, definite diagnosis and investigation

Reasons for not doing well

  1. Not showing due concern for patient
  2. Not introducing yourself
  3. Not exposing adequately
  4. Not asking permission
  5. Ignoring the hints
  6. Not listening carefully to the instructions
  7. Gross lack of knowledge

Golden Rules

No

  1. Repetition
  2. Hesitation
  3. Derivation

Cases

 

Scalp

  • Sebaceous cyst
  • Osteoma

Face

  • Parotids
  • Thyroid
  • Lymph node
  • Branchial cyst
  • Submandibular gland

Thorax

  • Breast lumps - must know all physical signs and cancer and post treatment signs
  • Benign breast disease

Upper Limb

  • Axillary node
  • Dupuytren's contracture
  • Osteoarthritis
  • Rheumatoid arthritis
  • Nerve injury - median, ulnar, radial
  • Carpal tunnel

Abdomen

  • Abdominal aortic aneurysm
  • Visceromegaly
  • Hernias
  • Stoma
  • Fistula
  • Sister joseph nodule

Groin

  • Hernias
  • Saphena varix

Scrotum

  • Hydrocoele
  • Varicocoele
  • Inguinal-scrotal hernia
  • Solid testicular mass
  • Epipdymal cyst

Lower Limb

  • Osteoarthritis of the hip
  • Osteoarthritis of the knee
  • Cruciate injury
  • Peripheral vascular disease
  • Varicose veins
  • Popliteal aneurysm
  • Baker's cystÂ