Introduction to Physical Exam
MS-1

October 26, 2009 – December 18, 2009
13 sessions

Course Director
Melissa McNeil, MD, MPH
Professor and Associate Chief
Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine
mcneilma@upmc.edu

Course Description

This course is dedicated to teaching the art and science of performing a physical examination.

The goals of the course are for students:

1. to learn the techniques of the physical examination.
2. to practice these techniques in the setting of a normal physical examination.
3. to develop an orderly approach to performing a complete physical examination.
4. to begin to differentiate between a screening physical examination and a more focused examination, and when each type of examination is indicated
5. to understand how to use instruments, including an oto-ophthalmoscope, stethoscope, reflex hammer, and tuning fork

Faculty for this course are from the department of Medicine and from the senior medical student class. Small-group practice sessions are facilitated by 42 fourth-year medical students who have volunteered to teach and have had instruction in teaching methods.

Educational Methods

	Lectures		Small-group practice sessions		Standardized-patient examinations

Evaluation

Evaluation for this course is based on effort and preparation for the physical examination sessions, and on the score on the checklist used to evaluate the standardized patient examination session.

Grading: This course comprises 50% of the grade for Introduction to Patient Care Block, Section 1. Grading for the block section is Honors, Satisfactory, Unsatisfactory.

Faculty Note

Melissa McNeil, MD, MPH, is a recipient of the Excellence in Education Award for Small Group Facilitator and the Donald S. Fraley Award for Medical Student Mentoring, as well as a member of the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine Academy of Master Educators.