Apm perspectivesThe Lost Art of Clinical Skills
Section snippets
The State of Clinical Skills
Inconsistencies between laboratory findings and clinical data go undetected simply because too many physicians are insufficiently disciplined in the proper use of clinical skills and in the analysis of clinical data. Too often, palpably illogical laboratory findings are accepted without question.6
Despite the importance of history-taking and physical examination, clinical skills education has decreased since the 1960s, with deficiencies beginning in medical school and continuing through
Clinical Skills in Teaching Hospitals
A glimpse of clinical education during medical school and residency illuminates several reasons for the overall decline in clinical decision-making skills. Before the 1970s, internal medicine rounds with the attending physician were considered the platform for demonstrating history-taking, physical examinations, and clinical decision-making.5, 22 Attending physicians demonstrated clinical skills, refined a physician-in-training's techniques, and corrected errors or misinterpretations. By 1978,
Conclusion
Current movements to improve clinical skills education are essential and long overdue. Acknowledging that the provision of high quality medical care requires strong clinical skills and clinical reasoning, the Association of American Medical Colleges established the Task Force on the Clinical Skill Education of Medical Students. Several recommendations from this task force emphasize the importance of clinical skills.29 First, the task force acknowledged that clinical skills education is a
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