H&P I

H&P II

Reflection:

1. What differences do you note between the two H&Ps?

After comparing my two H&Ps I noticed I missed some of the family history in the first semester H&P. The second H&P had a more detailed description of family medical conditions there were applicable to the patient. The general flow of how an H&P was much more streamlined in the second H&P versus the first and I think this is due to practice.

1. In what ways has your history-taking improved?  Are you eliciting all the important information?

My history taking has improved in a couple of ways. Most notably are the style of questions that are specifically appropriate for my patient. This line of questioning has helped determine a much more extensive differential diagnosis. The second H&P has more pertinent information on the patient including laboratory results, and diagnostic study analysis that was not available as in first H&P.

1. In what ways has writing an HPI improved? (hint: look at the rubric scores)

My HPI from the second semester is more thorough compared to the HPI from the first semester, while stilling including the necessary information and elements of an HPI. The order of the HPI was more orderly and to the point compared to the first HPI. The ROS in the first semester was long and drawn out, while the second semester HPI was better written and more streamlined.

1. What is your self-assessment of your current skill in performing a physical exam? Which areas do you feel strongest about/weakest about?

I feel that my self-assessment of my clinical skills is fairly sharp. I often practiced with my classmates to help solidify my clinical skills and carry those skills with me to my patients at the hospitals. I feel strong is the majority of the physical exam. My weakness is the female pelvic exam, which will need more practice and will be easier on clinical rotations.

1. Of course we expect you to get stronger in all areas, but which of the specific areas will you target as needing particular focus in future patient visits when you start the clinical year?

The areas I will focus on will be the review of systems. I need to work on a set of questions that I can ask the patient that will cover a lot of topics and still provide a concise review. During the physical exam I will work on streamlining the patient by checking the whole area for issues instead of going back and forth with my examination.