A couple weeks ago I had to do an OSCE where I interview a “patient” (actor) and conduct a short physical and then discuss what I think the problem is and what I want to do with the patient.
These “patient interactions,” as they call them, are recorded and we are required to come back and watch them and evaluate ourselves.
I hate watching myself on video. And today I just saw the video of me interviewing a patient who had a complaint of frequent falling. Got that? She came in complaining of falling.
Well I do the interview, asking about when the problem started and blah blah blah. Her three episodes of falling were sporadic, occurring at different times of the day and in different places. And it wasn’t because of any injuries.
Ten minutes later before I move on to the physical exam, I ask the patient, “Have you noticed any changes in balance?”
What the heck, Jeff?!? She has been complaining about falling and you ask if she has had a change in balance?!?
The patient sat silently and just stared — totally confused, I’m sure. And I, realizing what I had just asked her, quickly recovered and pretended like I was clarifying myself and asked if she had felt any dizziness, headaches, or nausea.
