Checklist

MP

Checklist

MP

Devises holistic management plan and addresses

psychosocial issues as well as medical problems
Summarises
Offers to answer any questions

Shows empathy

Thanks patient

Non-verbal skills
Avoids technical jargon

Summary of common conditions seen in OSCEs

Condition

Red flags

Common errors
Settling for a diagnosis of chest infection if there is
a small amount of haemoptysis in a heavy
smoker
Remember that lung cancer must be ruled out in
a smoker with any amount of haemoptysis, even
if the other features from the history suggest it is
not the likeliest diagnosis

TB

Weight loss
Night sweats
Travel to areas with high prevalence

Failing to take a travel history

Failing to ask about BCG vaccination if suspecting
TB (but remember that the BCG is only around
40% protective against TB)

Pulmonary embolism

Risk factors (see above)

Red, swollen, painful leg

Insufficient questioning on risk factors

Assuming pulmonary embolism is impossible if there
are no clinical features of deep vein thrombosis

Pneumonia

Cough productive of rusty or green sputum with

small amounts of blood mixed in
Fever
Recent upper respiratory tract infection

Bronchiectasis

Recurrent chest infections

Croup during childhood
Presence of wheezing

Pulmonary oedema

Ankle swelling
Known mitral valve disease
Pink frothy sputum
Inhalation of toxic fumes
Pregnancy

Failing to ask about symptoms of congestive cardiac

failure, e.g. orthopnoea, paroxysmal nocturnal
dyspnoea, ankle oedema, shortness of breath on
exertion
Insufficient questioning about coughed-up blood

Goodpastures syndrome

Haematuria
Family history

Failing to ask about haematuria

Wegeners granulomatosis

Nasal discharge and/or epistaxis

Oral ulcers
Purpuric skin rash
Arthralgia
Haematuria

Not able to recollect common clinical features

Lack of time to complete a thorough systems review