Over the last two decades, the medical practitioner's traditional skills of history taking and examination have expanded, with a greater emphasis now placed on communication skills, and the skills required to master a range of increasingly complex procedures.

This book takes the reader step by step through all of the practical techniques with which they must be familiar. At each stage they provide guidance on how to carry out these procedures efficiently and with the minimum distress to the patient, with advice on appropriate questions to ask the patient, and comments on how to interpret the patient's responses. Also covered is the importance of explaining the diagnosis clearly, and how to communicate bad news.

There are many shared skills in the routine work of both doctor and nurse, and this concise pocket-sized handbook is intended as an aid to all those learning to deal with real patients for the first time.