"Always examine from the patient's right side"

[swoopyswoop]

What is up with this BS? I've seen it be included for OSCE checklists, I've seen a physician in an article comment on how 1st years were making awkward mistakes such as examining from the patient's left side.

I've asked doctors and they all see no reason for it other than "convention". I'm left-handed and my entire exam is mirror image to what is "conventional". This worked out great with my preceptor because she would examine from the right and I would examine from the left. Am I seriously going to get docked my preceptors and/or Step 2 CS for standing on the patient's left??

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[PL198]

What is up with this BS? I've seen it be included for OSCE checklists, I've seen a physician in an article comment on how 1st years were making awkward mistakes such as examining from the patient's left side.

I've asked doctors and they all see no reason for it other than "convention". I'm left-handed and my entire exam is mirror image to what is "conventional". This worked out great with my preceptor because she would examine from the right and I would examine from the left. Am I seriously going to get docked my preceptors and/or Step 2 CS for standing on the patient's left??

Penalties of swinging from the wrong side of the plate, brah or brahette.

 

[Serous Demilune]

It's like when you drive a car, you only use one foot to work both pedals so you don't get confused. I don't think it matters which side you examine from as long as you do the same side every single time. I think it's bull that they take off points in the OSCE for that though.

 

[PL198]

It's like when you drive a car, you only use one foot to work both pedals so you don't get confused. I don't think it matters which side you examine from as long as you do the same side every single time. I think it's bull that they take off points in the OSCE for that though.

I promise you there is a 2 footed driver reading this somewhere. You know, the type of person that uses their brakes every 5 seconds on the highway

 

[swoopyswoop]

It's really a one-point item, so you're not going to fail an OSCE because of it. It just annoys me to do things "because this is how they are done" when there's no actual justification for it.

 

[Brain Bucket]

It's like when you drive a car, you only use one foot to work both pedals so you don't get confused. I don't think it matters which side you examine from as long as you do the same side every single time. I think it's bull that they take off points in the OSCE for that though.

Why would you get confused? Never driven stick?

 

[Kahreek]

in case they try to stab you, you've got your stronger hand closer to the revolver.

 

[Raryn]

It all goes back to Osler standardizing stuff >100 years ago.

 

[DocVapor]

I promise you there is a 2 footed driver reading this somewhere. You know, the type of person that uses their brakes every 5 seconds on the highway

Or, there are those of us who drive manuals and know how to drive race cars. We can use both feet to activate all THREE pedals at the same time! That would really blow some people's minds.

 

[Psai]

When it comes to dumb things they make you do in medical school, this is one of the lower ones on the list.

 

[DrEnderW]

We were told it has something about ease of access when auscultating, palpating, observing, etc and less reaching over/across the patient. No idea if this is actually true... I think I recall something about JVP being done on the pt's R side so it makes sense to be over there.

Definitely get substantial points off in standardized pt exams for not doing it though.

 

[swoopyswoop]

That makes sense if you palpate/auscultate/etc from the right, using your right hand. I do all that with my left hand. Like they make us auscultate in left lat decub from the right side, reaching all the way over the patient.

And yes I realize this is minor. It's just silly and I'm bitching about it.

 

[DocVapor]

That makes sense if you palpate/auscultate/etc from the right, using your right hand. I do all that with my left hand. Like they make us auscultate in left lat decub from the right side, reaching all the way over the patient.

And yes I realize this is minor. It's just silly and I'm bitching about it.

Just don't forget that when you are palpating for the point of maximal impulse or auscultating the cardiac apex to ask female patients to lift their left breast. Definitely don't do it for them, that would be many points off.

 

[Psai]

Just don't forget that when you are palpating for the point of maximal impulse or auscultating the cardiac apex to ask female patients to lift their left breast. Definitely don't do it for them, that would be many points off.

Honestly I'm probably better at manipulating breasts than they are.

 

[PL198]

Driving stick is different than driving an auto with two feet. And there's literally no need to drive with two feet on an auto except on a track. Same thing for using your left foot for brake in a stick car. Unless you like pretending you're Jeff Gordon while driving 70 down the highway. Good try on the '' never miss an opportunity to nitpick a flaw in someone else's post to make me look superior, '' concept.

Only time your left foot should ever touch the brake in either kind of car is on a track. Every other situation, it's detrimental much more often than beneficial.

P. S I daily drove a car that 60' is 1.6 for a summer.

 

[CherryRedDracul]

It all goes back to Osler standardizing stuff >100 years ago.

And knowing Osler, he probably did it to troll everyone.

 

[DocVapor]

Driving stick is different than driving an auto with two feet. And there's literally no need to drive with two feet on an auto except on a track. Same thing for using your left foot for brake in a stick car. Unless you like pretending you're Jeff Gordon while driving 70 down the highway. Good try on the '' never miss an opportunity to nitpick a flaw in someone else's post to make me look superior, '' concept.

Only time your left foot should ever touch the brake in either kind of car is on a track. Every other situation, it's detrimental much more often than beneficial.

P. S I daily drove a car that 60' is 1.6 for a summer.

Was this a response to me? Wasn't trying to nitpick. Was trying to add a funny comment that clearly fell flat. Guess I am all out of funny until after my boards.

Also, sounds like a fun car you had. My car didn't do much in a straight line but the brakes and handling were enough to enucleate an eyeball or two.

 

[e30ftw]

play the game for the osce then once you get out in practice do whatever you want.

I examine from the right side if the situation allows for it because I'm right handed, but if it's inconvenient in anyway (ie, vents/nurses/space etc on that side) I examine from the left side w/o difficulty.

 

[Geekchick921]

WTF? Is the patient a horse? Did you mean to post this in the veterinary forums?

 

[evilbooyaa]

Driving stick is different than driving an auto with two feet. And there's literally no need to drive with two feet on an auto except on a track. Same thing for using your left foot for brake in a stick car. Unless you like pretending you're Jeff Gordon while driving 70 down the highway. Good try on the '' never miss an opportunity to nitpick a flaw in someone else's post to make me look superior, '' concept.

Only time your left foot should ever touch the brake in either kind of car is on a track. Every other situation, it's detrimental much more often than beneficial.

P. S I daily drove a car that 60' is 1.6 for a summer.

I practice left foot braking while I'm stuck in traffic. It's easier for lazy ol' me than constantly switching between accel and brake with each of my feet. I drive an auto, FWIW. I have a relative that was into autocross and the like, and he always did the patented heel-toe for rev matching on downshifts. Probably picked it up from him. It's nice you had a fast straight line car, but left foot braking is for cornering, not straight line speed.

In regards to OP - sucks they take off points for it. Maybe you could ask if you could stand on the left (explaining that you're left handed and thus everything is mirrored)? I imagine they want everyone to do the physical uniformly as medical students, in which case you're kind of boned.

 

[BobbyB]

It's really a one-point item, so you're not going to fail an OSCE because of it. It just annoys me to do things "because this is how they are done" when there's no actual justification for it.

welcome to life

 

[SouthernSurgeon]

I examine from whichever side of the bed has the most room

 

[TooMuchResearch]

What? I've been doing it from the head with the patient lying down this whole time! I guess that explains why my lower extremity exams are so awkward.