Question: Topic: Oral Presentation

The goal of any oral presentation is to pass along the "right amount" of patient information to your preceptor in an efficient fashion. When done well, this enables you and your preceptor to quickly understand the patient's issues and generate an appropriate plan of action.

As a general rule, oral presentations are shorter than written presentations as they should focus on the most active issues of the day (Chief Complaint).

Subjective- how patient feels and reports to you.

Objective- vital signs and pertinent physical exam findings; what you hear, feel, smell, and see.

Assessment- should include working diagnosis from presenting problem and prior diagnoses that are being actively addressed during the present appointment.

Plan - this is the area that should be very specific as if you are entering the orders.

Some of the most common stumbling blocks for students (other than nerves) include going into too much detail in the subjective and objective sections!