The focus of this session will be opening the interview, obtaining the chief complaint, and eliciting the history of present illness or HPI. (See Bates p3, pp12-15 and Coulehan pp61-70 for a discussion of the HPI and the types of questions to ask.) Each of you should prepare in advance to role play a patient with a specific chief complaint.
Start by studying the relevant table from Bates Chapter 2, "An Approach to Symptoms." The table lists several diseases, you should select one for the role play. Once you have decided on a disease, you should memorize the symptoms listed for it. Be prepared to answer the "what, where, when, and how" questions as your patient would.
Headache Bates p62
Vertigo Bates p67
Chest Pain Bates p68
Dyspnea Bates p70
Cough Bates p72
Dysphagia Bates p73
Abdominal Pain Bates p74
Arthritis Bates p86
Low Back Pain Bates p88
Syncope Bates p90
You will be paired with another small group member. Students will spend approximately 10 minutes interviewing their partners and then switch.
This is your opportunity to experience both sides of a medical interview. It is important for the person doing the interview that you make your patient as realistic as possible. Add your own interpretation of the patient's emotional response to the objective material you have prepared. Use your imagination; you may even wish to bring in props or costumes to add to the illusion.