The Medical History and Physical Examination

Doctors have long been taught that much can be learned about a person's health simply by taking a medical history and performing a thorough physical examination. Sometimes this is all that the doctor needs to do to screen for, diagnose, or monitor a disease. However, in many cases, the history and examination may not provide enough information.

Doctors may ask questions in a specific way. For example, they may inquire about sadness by inquiring of every person, "Have you felt sad nearly every day for at least 2 weeks?" They may also consistently check for physical findings in a specific way. For example, they may check strength in the arms by asking every person to hold a fist up to the shoulder joint and keep it there while trying to pull it away.

Some doctors go one step further by using a standardized questionnaire or a standardized performance test. Standardized means that the exact same questions are asked in the same way, or the exact same tasks are performed. Standardized questionnaires may be used, for example, to screen for depression, confusion, excessive use of alcohol, and limitations in the ability to function.