Read the practice cases and find a study partner for a day or two just to get your timing down.
The key to your PE is to make it focused but thorough in the particular system. If someone has abdominal pain, do a good abdominal exam, but don’t worry about irrelevant exams.
The best way to approach this is to read the chief complaint and write down your top 5 differentials on your board. Base your questions and exam on this.
CHECK THE VITALS, they can be a huge hint. If someone complains of diarrhea, and has a heart rate of 105, consider things like hyperthyroidism in the back of your head.
Don’t forget social and family history. I had one vague case that I was clueless about until I asked about sexual history.
Overall, the test is VERY straight forward. But they do have a couple of head scratchers that you’ll only pick up if you have a good differential and ask the right questions.
