MEDICAL STUDENT SURVIVAL SKILLS: HISTORY TAKING AND COMMUNICATION SKILLS

• 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

Medical students encounter many challenges on their path to success, from managing their time, applying theory to practice, and passing exams. The Medical Student Survival Skills series helps medical students navigate core subjects of the curriculum, providing accessible, short reference guides for OSCE preparation and hospital placements. These guides are the perfect tool for achieving clinical success.

Medical Student Survival Skills: History Taking and Communication Skills is a concise and compact guide to obtaining and recording medical histories and achieving positive patient interactions. The first section explores taking history—from initial introduction to identifying symptoms—and includes abdominal and chest pain, dizziness and vertigo, shortness of breath, sexual history, confusion and loss of memory. Essential patient communication skills and strategies for various situations are described in the second section, including angry patients, instances of drug and alcohol abuse, diabetes counselling and breaking bad news.

Authors
• Philip Jevon is Honorary Clinical Lecturer at Birmingham Medical School and Academy Manager/Tutor, Walsall Teaching Academy, Manor Hospital, Walsall, UK.
• Steve Odogwu is Consultant, General Surgery and Senior Academy Tutor, Walsall Teaching Academy, Manor Hospital, Walsall, UK.