Doctor: Since this is your first visit to the practice, I’d like to have a more detailed picture of

things. Could you tell me about any illnesses you might have had in the past?

Patient: I had my tonsils out when I was a little kid, I remember that.

Doctor: Any other childhood illnesses?

Patient : Don’t remember, to be honest – my mother would know, I’d expect. Mumps, measles,
that kind of thing, usual stuff.

Doctor: Regular childhood illnesses, then? And how has your healt been in general since then?
Patient: No, no real problems, to tell you the truth.

Doctor: Good. So, have you had any operations, apart from the tonsils?
Patient: No, no, Like I say, I’m pretty healthy.

Doctor: Any other visits to the hospital?

Patient: Yes, for the birth of my son, and, er, then a couple of years ago, I had to go in for some
tests.

Doctor: Mm-hm? What kind of tests, Ms Martin?

Patient: Don’ t remember exactly.

Doctor: Can I ask you how old you were when you gave birth?

Patient: Yes, it was just before my 40th  - celebrated it surrounded by diapers that year!

Doctor: Going back to these tests, MS Martin, can I ask you to elaborate on those a little?

Patient: Oh, those, well, er, I lost my second baby, a little girl apparently.
Doctor: I´m sorry to hear that. I  have to ask, she was stillborn?

Patient: Yep.

Doctor: I understand this must be a painful memory for you. Moving on, if we can. Are you fully
immunized?
Patient: I´m sorry?

Doctor: What I mean is, how up to date are you with your shots, MsMartin?
Patient: I think I am OK.  I had most of those when I was at school.

Doctor: How about tetanus?

Patient: Uh-uh. (shakes her head)

Doctor: Now, nearly finished this part. Um, have you ever suffered from allergies?

Patient: Mm.... Strawberries – weird, isn´t it?

Doctor: And I suppose these were your favourite fruit, too? Are you alleregic to any medications
– some people are allergic to penicillin, for example?

Patient: No.

Doctor: And finally, are you currently on any medications at all, Ms Martin?

Patient: Ah, yes. I was taking antibiotics, but didn´t finish the course, did´t seem to be doing
anything, I´m not on anything else.

Doctor: Right. Can I ask you what you were taking them for?

Patient: Oh, I ´d had a very bad cold and couldn´t shake it off.

Doctor: How about medications you buy over the counter?

Patient: Ah... laxatives sometimes, you know, for the problems I´ve been having recently.
Tylenol, occasionally.
Doctor: Some people believe in alternative medicine; is that something that interests you?

Patient: No, no, definitely not.

Doctor: Well, some people are turning to alternative forms of treatment, and so this is a question
we have to as, in case of any possible complications. OK ... So, I´d like to sum up your history
briefly to make sure I have all the details correct before we proceed. So you had your tonsils out
and most of the regular childhood immunizations ...