ART OF CLINICAL MEDICINE AND CLINICAL EXAMINATION

DR PARIDHI SHIVDE (Professor in the department of General Medicine, Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Medical College Indore, India) The saying that “a two-thirds of diagnosis can be made from history alone is now also applicable despite the advances in technology’’. It is uncommon in the medical field that a patient describes his symptoms systematically and rationally. It is the skill of a doctor how to extract relevant history from a patient in a limited time. This book contains symptomatology, history taking, clinical examination and diagnostic approach in different fields of General Internal Medicine, like cardiology, neurology, respiratory, gastroenterology, rheumatology, haematology, common comorbid conditions, psychiatry and spot cases. It also includes sample clinical cases which give an exact and detailed idea to students of how to take history and do the clinical examination in a patient. Many of the topics are explained in a tabulated form which is easy to learn for the students. This book teaches the skill of history taking, the art of eliciting signs, planning appropriate investigations, formulating a differential diagnosis and diagnosis and planning subsequent management. A student examining the patient must know the symptoms of each system (like CVS, respiratory, GIT, neurology) to identify the system involved. A student should also have an idea of the clinical features of different diseases. Therefore, a concise and comprehensive description of common clinical conditions is included in the book. As undergraduate medical students have a scarcity of time because of giving time to all the subjects, bedside clinics and preparation of pre-postgraduate competitive examination and also postgraduate students have a busy schedule in their residency, therefore I have tried to include all relevant matters needed for students in an easy and comprehensive pattern so that students can grasp the topic easily and master the subject in less time. The book is also of value and help to practising clinicians. The contents are very specific and in easy language. Most common methods of examination (must know for students) are included in the priority. The book is written in a simple, specific, consolidated, comprehensive way and is less time consuming for students and clinicians. It is easy to learn, less time consuming, and authentic. The book is intended to inculcate pearls of comprehensive medical knowledge and clinical skills in medical students in an easy way and in less time as doctors are the pillar of overall human growth and quality of life of people.