Despite the advanced technologies at our disposal today, a complete health history and physical examination remain the most crucial diagnostic tools in any healthcare practitioner's arsenal. And no one teaches these all-important skills better than Mark H. Swartz, MD, FACP. For nearly two decades, Dr. Swartz's textbook has shown readers how to derive the maximum diagnostic information from interviewing and examining patients. Using a compassionate, humanistic approach, Dr. Swartz explores how cultural differences can influence communication, diet, family relationships, and health practices and beliefs, and demonstrates that your interpersonal awareness is just as essential in physical diagnosis as your level of technical skill. In this 6th Edition, a new chapter on the focused physical exam prepares you for the USMLE Step 2 CS and the OSCE. Over 3 hours of video on DVD demonstrate how to examine adult male and female patients as well as pediatric and geriatric patients. Plus you can access the complete contents of the book online at www.studentconsult.com.

Discussions of special considerations emphasize cultural differences that may affect your approach to patients ... guide you through assessment of nutritional status ... and inform you of things to look for and remember when examining children, pregnant women, older patients, and acutely ill patients.

Pathophysiology explanations help you understand the causes of the symptoms you encounter.

Abundant color photographs capture the real appearance of various diseases.

Coverage of complementary and alternative medicine alerts you to the clinical implications of these increasingly popular modalities.

An appendix on examination of the Spanish-speaking patient provides translations for commonly used medical phrases and questions is available on www.studentconsult.com

Over 3 hours of video on DVD demonstrate the complete physical exam of an adult male patient, the breast and pelvic exam of an adult female patient, and the examination of pediatric and geriatric patients.

Student Consult access lets you reference the complete contents of the book online, anywhere you go ... perform quick searches ... and add your own notes and bookmarks.

A new chapter on the focused physical exam prepares you for the USMLE Step 2 CS and OSCEs.