Examination Technique and Presentation
Structure beats speed
Examination stations test a safe, reproducible sequence and clear communication. Before touching the patient, wash hands, explain the examination, gain consent and arrange appropriate exposure and privacy. State your findings as you go, because examiners cannot credit silent discovery.
Concepts to demonstrate
Show a logical order for each system: for a cardiovascular exam, general inspection, hands, pulse, blood pressure, neck, precordium, auscultation, then peripheral and special tests. For respiratory, inspect, palpate, percuss then auscultate, and always examine the back. Name what you are looking for (clubbing, tar staining, raised JVP, tracheal deviation, lymphadenopathy). Use correct technique: palpate before percussing, auscultate with the diaphragm and bell, and compare sides.
Traps that cost marks
- Examining through clothing or failing to expose the relevant area.
- Omitting a general inspection or the hands.
- Forgetting to examine the relevant lymph nodes or the opposite side.
- Not offering a chaperone for intimate examinations.
- Reporting findings you have not actually elicited, or inventing signs.
- Ignoring patient comfort, pain or anxiety during the exam.
Worked rule of thumb
For any system, say the sequence aloud before starting: "I will inspect, palpate, percuss and auscultate, then examine for complications." This signals structure and keeps you on track. Finish by thanking the patient, helping them dress, and presenting findings as a concise summary: positive findings, pertinent negatives, and what you would do next. A clear presentation converts technique into marks.