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<p>Acknowledgements ix</p> <p>About the companion website xiii</p> <p><b>Part 1 History Taking 1</b></p> <p>1 Abdominal distention 3</p> <p>2 Abdominal pain in pregnancy 7</p> <p>3 Abdominal pain 11</p> <p>4 Alcohol intake 13</p> <p>5 Amenorrhoea 15</p> <p>6 Anxiety 19</p> <p>7 Ataxia 23</p> <p>8 Back pain 25</p> <p>9 Chest pain 27</p> <p>10 Collapse and loss of conciousness 29</p> <p>11 Confusion 31</p> <p>12 Constipation 33</p> <p>13 Cough 35</p> <p>14 Deliberate self‐harm 37</p> <p>15 Diarrhoea 41</p> <p>16 Dizziness and vertigo 43</p> <p>17 Dyspepsia 47</p> <p>18 Dysphagia 49</p> <p>19 Dysphasia 51</p> <p>20 Dysuria 53</p> <p>21 Otalgia – ear ache 55</p> <p>22 Falls 57</p> <p>23 Fever 61</p> <p>24 Haematemesis 65</p> <p>25 Haematuria 67</p> <p>26 Haemoptysis 69</p> <p>27 Headache 71</p> <p>28 Hoarseness 73</p> <p>29 Jaundice 75</p> <p>30 Joint pain 79</p> <p>31 Acute leg pain (ischaemic leg) 81</p> <p>32 Leg ulcer 85</p> <p>33 Loin pain 89</p> <p>34 Loss of memory 91</p> <p>35 Low mood 95</p> <p>36 Lumps and bumps 97</p> <p>37 Melaena 99</p> <p>38 Menorrhagia 103</p> <p>39 Nausea 107</p> <p>40 Numbness and weakness 109</p> <p>41 Paediatrics: Diarrhoea 113</p> <p>42 Paediatrics: Convulsions/seizures 117</p> <p>43 Paediatrics: Difficulty in breathing 121</p> <p>44 Paediatrics: Non‐specific unwell neonate 125</p> <p>45 Paediatrics: Vomiting 129</p> <p>46 Paediatrics: Wheeze 133</p> <p>47 Pain 137</p> <p>48 Palpitations 139</p> <p>49 Paresthesia 143</p> <p>50 Per rectum bleeding 147</p> <p>51 Preoperative assessment 151</p> <p>52 Per vaginum bleeding in pregnancy 153</p> <p>53 Pruritus 155</p> <p>54 Pervaginal bleed 157</p> <p>55 Pervaginal discharge 159</p> <p>56 Rash 163</p> <p>57 Red eye – painless 165</p> <p>58 Red eye – painful 169</p> <p>59 Seizure 173</p> <p>60 Sexual history from a female patient 177</p> <p>61 Sexual history from a male patient 179</p> <p>62 Shortness of breath 181</p> <p>63 Stridor 183</p> <p>64 Substance misuse 185</p> <p>65 Swollen legs and ankles 187</p> <p>66 Syncope 191</p> <p>67 Tiredness/lethargy 195</p> <p>68 Tremor 199</p> <p>69 Unilateral leg swelling 201</p> <p>70 Varicose veins 205</p> <p>71 Vomiting 207</p> <p>72 Weight gain 209</p> <p>73 Weight loss 213</p> <p>74 Wheeze 217</p> <p><b>Part 2 Communication Skills 221</b></p> <p>75 Alcohol advice 223</p> <p>76 The angry patient 227</p> <p>77 Breaking bad news or results 229</p> <p>78 The deaf patient 231</p> <p>79 Diabetes counselling 235</p> <p>80 Explaining a clinical procedure 239</p> <p>81 Insulin counselling 241</p> <p>82 Life style advice post myocardial infarction 243</p> <p>83 Cessation of smoking 245</p> <p>84 Oral steroids counselling 249</p> <p>Index 253</p>

<p><b>Philip Jevon</b> is Honorary Clinical Lecturer at Birmingham Medical School and Academy Manager/Tutor, Walsall Teaching Academy, Manor Hospital, Walsall, UK. <p><b>Steve Odogwu</b> is Consultant, General Surgery and Senior Academy Tutor, Walsall Teaching Academy, Manor Hospital, Walsall, UK.

<p>Medical Student <b>Survival Skills</b> <p>Medical students encounter many challenges on their path to success, from managing their time, applying theory to practice, and passing exams. The <i>Medical Student Survival Skills</i> series helps medical students navigate core subjects of the curriculum, providing accessible, short reference guides for OSCE preparation and hospital placements. These guides are the perfect tool for achieving clinical success. <p><i>Medical Student Survival Skills: History Taking and Communication Skills</i> is a concise and compact guide to obtaining and recording medical histories and achieving positive patient interactions. The first section explores taking history—from initial introduction to identifying symptoms—and includes abdominal and chest pain, dizziness and vertigo, shortness of breath, sexual history, confusion and loss of memory. Essential patient communication skills and strategies for various situations are described in the second section, including angry patients, instances of drug and alcohol abuse, diabetes counselling and breaking bad news.

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