High marks for the physical exam
================================

* Joseph Jacobs

In a medical world that bows down and worships technology, it was a delight to read Kenneth Flegel's balanced editorial on the future of the physical examination.1 It would appear that students and tutors in many medical schools in the United Kingdom, North America and elsewhere are being taught that knowledge of technological advances is of paramount importance, whereas the role of adequate histories and complete physical examinations is downplayed. There is still a great need to do an adequate physical examination rather than a cursory localized assessment, followed by a plethora of tests and then referral to a specialist who does know the various modern technologies available. Of course, we need modern technology - but surely the most common and the greatest problems facing family physicians lie in the lifestyle and family problems of their patients and the shading between normalcy and abnormality.

## Reference

1.  1. Flegel KM. Does the physical examination have a future? CMAJ 1999;161(9):1117-8.
    
    [FREE Full Text](http://www.cmaj.ca/lookup/ijlink/YTozOntzOjQ6InBhdGgiO3M6MTQ6Ii9sb29rdXAvaWpsaW5rIjtzOjU6InF1ZXJ5IjthOjQ6e3M6ODoibGlua1R5cGUiO3M6NDoiRlVMTCI7czoxMToiam91cm5hbENvZGUiO3M6NDoiY21haiI7czo1OiJyZXNpZCI7czoxMDoiMTYxLzkvMTExNyI7czo0OiJhdG9tIjtzOjIyOiIvY21hai8xNjIvNC80OTIuNC5hdG9tIjt9czo4OiJmcmFnbWVudCI7czowOiIiO30=)