Sample Oral Exam

• Standards examined:
  • General clinical competence and professional comportment
  • Ability to gather pertinent information
  • Ability to integrate information into a coherent case discussion
  • Ability to recapitulate signs and symptoms
  • Ability to develop a differential diagnosis for all five axes
  • Ability to discuss laboratory and other ancillary tests which might be helpful
  • Ability to discuss psychological tests which may be helpful
  • Ability to discuss non-pharmacologic interventions
  • Ability to discuss pharmacologic interventions
• Tips:
  • Be professional and respectful of the patient
  • Remember you have 20 minutes to complete the interview, not more, not less. Use the 20 minutes!
  • At the end of the interview, you will then meet with the attending and will have 10 minutes to present and discuss the case.
  • You may take notes, however, many patients find this distracting under these test circumstances and, therefore, you may prefer not to.
  • You may not bring any other materials into the room, e.g., filecards, etc.
  • Although this examination may cause understandable anxiety for the student, try to remember that the patient may also be anxious. Do what you can to make the patient feel comfortable.