Medical Student Survival Skills

Acknowledgements ix About the companion website xiii Part 1 History Taking 1 1 Abdominal distention 3 2 Abdominal pain in pregnancy 7 3 Abdominal pain 11 4 Alcohol intake 13 5 Amenorrhoea 15 6 Anxiety 19 7 Ataxia 23 8 Back pain 25 9 Chest pain 27 10 Collapse and loss of conciousness 29 11 Confusion 31 12 Constipation 33 13 Cough 35 14 Deliberate self‐harm 37 15 Diarrhoea 41 16 Dizziness and vertigo 43 17 Dyspepsia 47 18 Dysphagia 49 19 Dysphasia 51 20 Dysuria 53 21 Otalgia – ear ache 55 22 Falls 57 23 Fever 61 24 Haematemesis 65 25 Haematuria 67 26 Haemoptysis 69 27 Headache 71 28 Hoarseness 73 29 Jaundice 75 30 Joint pain 79 31 Acute leg pain (ischaemic leg) 81 32 Leg ulcer 85 33 Loin pain 89 34 Loss of memory 91 35 Low mood 95 36 Lumps and bumps 97 37 Melaena 99 38 Menorrhagia 103 39 Nausea 107 40 Numbness and weakness 109 41 Paediatrics: Diarrhoea 113 42 Paediatrics: Convulsions/seizures 117 43 Paediatrics: Difficulty in breathing 121 44 Paediatrics: Non‐specific unwell neonate 125 45 Paediatrics: Vomiting 129 46 Paediatrics: Wheeze 133 47 Pain 137 48 Palpitations 139 49 Paresthesia 143 50 Per rectum bleeding 147 51 Preoperative assessment 151 52 Per vaginum bleeding in pregnancy 153 53 Pruritus 155 54 Pervaginal bleed 157 55 Pervaginal discharge 159 56 Rash 163 57 Red eye – painless 165 58 Red eye – painful 169 59 Seizure 173 60 Sexual history from a female patient 177 61 Sexual history from a male patient 179 62 Shortness of breath 181 63 Stridor 183 64 Substance misuse 185 65 Swollen legs and ankles 187 66 Syncope 191 67 Tiredness/lethargy 195 68 Tremor 199 69 Unilateral leg swelling 201 70 Varicose veins 205 71 Vomiting 207 72 Weight gain 209 73 Weight loss 213 74 Wheeze 217 Part 2 Communication Skills 221 75 Alcohol advice 223 76 The angry patient 227 77 Breaking bad news or results 229 78 The deaf patient 231 79 Diabetes counselling 235 80 Explaining a clinical procedure 239 81 Insulin counselling 241 82 Life style advice post myocardial infarction 243 83 Cessation of smoking 245 84 Oral steroids counselling 249 Index 253