By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
    Health
    Healthcare organizations are operating on slimmer profit margins than ever. One report in August showed that they are even lower than the beginning of the…
    Show More
    Top News
    bowl of vegetable salad
    Raw Foods: benefits and harms
    November 9, 2021
    pros and cons of the keto diet
    Read This Before You Follow the Keto Diet
    May 18, 2022
    spinal cord injuries
    4 Potential Causes of Spinal Cord Injuries (and How to Seek Compensation)
    May 25, 2022
    Latest News
    Grounded Healing: A Natural Ally for Sustainable Healthcare Systems
    May 16, 2025
    Learn how to Renew your Medical Card in West Virginia
    May 16, 2025
    Choosing the Right Supplement Manufacturer for Your Brand
    May 1, 2025
    Engineering Temporary Hospitals for Extreme Weather
    April 24, 2025
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
    Policy and Law
    Get the latest updates about Insurance policies and Laws in the Healthcare industry for different geographical locations.
    Show More
    Top News
    4 Reasons Why Medical Device Compliance Matters
    May 22, 2020
    What To Know About The Importance Of Healthcare Marketing
    November 23, 2019
    healthcare courses
    6 Supplemental Courses in Healthcare to Support Your HR Degree
    August 20, 2021
    Latest News
    Building Smarter Care Teams: Aligning Roles, Structure, and Clinical Expertise
    May 18, 2025
    The Critical Role of Healthcare in Personal Injury Recovery: A Comprehensive Guide for Victims
    May 14, 2025
    The Backbone of Successful Trials: Clinical Data Management
    April 28, 2025
    Advancing Your Healthcare Career through Education and Specialization
    April 16, 2025
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: How to Take a Medical History: A D-Day Approach
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > Specialties > How to Take a Medical History: A D-Day Approach
Specialties

How to Take a Medical History: A D-Day Approach

Michael Kirsch
Last updated: September 10, 2012 8:43 am
Michael Kirsch
Share
5 Min Read
SHARE

One of the joys of being a physician is learning the patients’ histories. A joy, you say? Isn’t taking the history simply part of the doctoring routine? You’ve all been there.

One of the joys of being a physician is learning the patients’ histories. A joy, you say? Isn’t taking the history simply part of the doctoring routine? You’ve all been there.

When did the pain start?
What made it worse?
Did it move around or stay in one place?

I agree that inquiries like these are not intrinsically joyful, but this is not my meaning here. I refer to history here in the conventional sense. I am interested in who the patients are as people, what they did and what they saw.

More Read

alternatives to traditional dental implants
Alternatives to Traditional Dental Implants
EHRs Now Predict a Connection Between Type 2 Diabetes and Dementia
10 Important Guidelines for Preventing Oral Health Problems
Top 5 Reasons Why you’re Not Losing Weight on Your Diet
What Are Some Of The Effective Ways To Get Rid Of Eye Floaters?

It is amazing how many seemingly ordinary folks have extraordinary tales and vignettes that they are quite willing to share, if they are asked.  I have a sense that they are a reservoir of wisdom that we must actively draw from, as they may not volunteer their advice.

I recall a science teacher whose prior occupation was serving as a commander of a nuclear submarine. Even years later, his secrets remained tightly held, despite my gentle entreaties. He was, to borrow a phrase, a tomb of confidentiality. Perhaps, the sedation I would be administering prior to a future colonic violation might loosen his tongue. Oh, the secrets I’ve extracted in the endoscopy suite!  Relax, patients. What’s uttered in the endoscopy suite, stays in the endoscopy suite, our own version of the Vegas Rules.

Another patient, now elderly participated in a historical event that changed the world. He took a leisurely boat ride across the English Channel on June 6, 1944 reaching the shores of Normandy. I’ve been to beaches many times in my life, but his experience was quite different. I was mesmerized as he recalled the fear that he and his men suffered as their craft approached the French shoreline. He told me of a chilling order that he never had to carry out. If any soldier refused to leave the craft, he was to shoot him. When I was an 18-year-old, I was a comfortable pre-med student. When he was the same age, he walked through the valley of the shadow of death and, unlike the psalmist, he did fear evil.

Another patient, now a nonagenarian, was a scrawny 17-year-old kid who awoke up one morning to hear bombs bursting in air. This quiet and modest man, several decades ago, was stationed in Pearl Harbor on the date that lived in infamy. I was tingling.

Just a few weeks back, an old man came to see me wearing one of the veteran baseball- style caps that many aging vets wear. For me, these caps are a reliable sign that there will be more to talk about than just heartburn and hemorrhoids. “Where we’re you stationed,” I asked. “Iwo Jima,” he answered. You know what’s coming now, readers. This man witnessed the marines raising the flag on Mount Suribachi in, perhaps, the most iconic image ever captured in American military history.

Over the years, I have related these treasured vignettes to the kids, who rightly wondered if I actually performed any medical work in the office. For the years that we home schooled the 2 boys, my patients’ experiences became part of their curriculum whenever possible. On more than one occasion, these gracious individuals met with us so that we could hear history directly from the folks who made it happen.

Seasoned physicians may not know the answers.  But, they know what questions to ask.  When your doctor is taking your history, is he asking the right questions?  Am I?

TAGGED:doctor/patient relationship
Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

Do You Grind Your Teeth at Night? Here’s How Night Guards and TMJ Treatments Can Help
Do You Grind Your Teeth at Night? Here’s How Night Guards and TMJ Treatments Can Help
Dental health
May 21, 2025
The Secret To A Confident Smile: Top Tips For Better Teeth
The Secret To A Confident Smile: Top Tips For Better Teeth
Dental health
May 21, 2025
Clinical Expertise
Building Smarter Care Teams: Aligning Roles, Structure, and Clinical Expertise
Health care
May 18, 2025
Grounded Healing: A Natural Ally for Sustainable Healthcare Systems
Grounded Healing: A Natural Ally for Sustainable Healthcare Systems
Health
May 15, 2025

You Might also Like

DiagnosticsMedical InnovationsSpecialtiesTechnology

New Technology Will Catch Alzheimer’s in the Early Stages

December 28, 2016
DSM
DiagnosticsSpecialties

Government Institute Announces Distancing from Psychiatric “Bible”

May 4, 2013
Specialties

Can I Become An Egg Donor? Here’s How To Find Out Your Eligibility

January 5, 2019

Bone Density Tests – Too Many Not a Good Thing

March 17, 2012
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?