As we move into the 21st century it is becoming increasingly difficult to offer appropriate introductory clinical experiences for medical students. Many schools offer clinical experiences in the first year of medical school, when the learner has little background in the traditions and origins of the doctor-patient interaction. Others begin this process in the second year, after a professional language base has been established, but concise educational materials are scarce that integrate the meaning of the privileged clinical encounter with the process and content of interviewing and examining patients. In the tertiary hospitals, where most medical schools are based, the educators must provide an orienta tion to the clinical encounter, an intensely personal experience, in the midst of glittering technological marvels that easily distract both the novice physician and the wizened teacher. Understanding the context and historical basis for the privilege of interviewing and examining another person about intimate matters relating to health and disease is essential to this process. Considering these factors, this textbook is written to assist medical educators and medical students involved in early clinical training. As the demand for "high-tech" medicine has accelerated, so has the public concern over the loss of "high-touch" or compassionate, humane interactions with physicians. Physicians are perceived as more concerned with readouts from machines and fiberoptic views of the patient than with understanding and car ing about the people we have labeled as patients."

Fundamentals of Clinical Practice, Second Edition presents medical students with a comprehensive guide to the social ramifications of a physician's work, and more experienced practitioners with the tools to augment their own patient-centered techniques.

Systemic Method Mark B. Mengel, M. D. , M. P. H. Learning Objectives 3 The Biomedical Model 6 A New Framework: The Systemic Patient-Centered Method 9 Physician Roles Patient Roles 22 Patient-Centered Clinical Decision-Making Data Base Responding to Patient Cues Constructing a Mutually Agreeable Plan The Systemic Patient-Centered Method: Other Concerns Changing Larger Systems Ethics of the Systemic Patient-Centered Method Efficacy of the Systemic Patient-Centered Method 32 Safety of the Systemic Patient-Centered Method Conclusion Cases for Discussion Recommended Readings XV 36 34 32 32 31 30 30 27 25 23 16 10 Patient-Centered The 1: Chapter !iiiii!i !ili !iil !i!i !iii !iii iiii !iiiii!i !iii !iil !iii!ii! !i!i!iiiiiii !i!i !i!i!iil ii!i !i!i !iii iiii!iiiiiii !ill !i!i!iii !iii !i!i !i!ilili!iii iiii !iil i!ii iili iii! i!ii ii!i i!ii iiii iiil iiiiiii! iiii iiiiii!iiiiiiiiiii!iiii!iiii iiii iiii ii!i iiiiii!i!i!iiiiiiiii !iii iiii iiiiiiiiii!i iiiiiiiiiiii iiiiiiii iiiiiiiiiiiiii!i iiii iiii iiiiiiii iiiiiiil iii!iiii iii! iiii iiii i!i! ilil iiii iiii iiii iiii iiii iiii iiii iiiiiiii iiii!iiiiiii iiii !iiiiiii iiii iiiiii!i iiii !iii !iiii!iii!i ii!i ii!i iiil iiii !i!i!iiiii!i!ill iiiiiiii! i!i iiii iili ii!i iiiiii!i iliiii!i iili iiiiiiiiiiililil iiii iiil ilil iliiiiiiiiiiiiii ilii ilii iiii iiii iiii iiii iiii iiiiiiii ilil i!il iiil iiii ii ii iiiiiiii iiiiiiii iiii !i !i!i !i!i !i!i !i!i !i!i !i!i !i!i !i!i !ill !i!i !i!iii!iii!i !i!i !i!i !!ii !iil !iii !iii !iii !i!i iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!iii!i ililili! iii iiii iiii iiiil iii iiiil iiii iiii iiii xvi Part II.

Systemic Method Mark B. Mengel, M. D. , M. P. H. Learning Objectives 3 The Biomedical Model 6 A New Framework: The Systemic Patient-Centered Method 9 Physician Roles Patient Roles 22 Patient-Centered Clinical Decision-Making Data Base Responding to Patient Cues Constructing a Mutually Agreeable Plan The Systemic Patient-Centered Method: Other Concerns Changing Larger Systems Ethics of the Systemic Patient-Centered Method Efficacy of the Systemic Patient-Centered Method 32 Safety of the Systemic Patient-Centered Method Conclusion Cases for Discussion Recommended Readings XV 36 34 32 32 31 30 30 27 25 23 16 10 Patient-Centered The 1: Chapter !iiiii!i !ili !iil !i!i !iii !iii iiii !iiiii!i !iii !iil !iii!ii! !i!i!iiiiiii !i!i !i!i!iil ii!i !i!i !iii iiii!iiiiiii !ill !i!i!iii !iii !i!i !i!ilili!iii iiii !iil i!ii iili iii! i!ii ii!i i!ii iiii iiil iiiiiii! iiii iiiiii!iiiiiiiiiii!iiii!iiii iiii iiii ii!i iiiiii!i!i!iiiiiiiii !iii iiii iiiiiiiiii!i iiiiiiiiiiii iiiiiiii iiiiiiiiiiiiii!i iiii iiii iiiiiiii iiiiiiil iii!iiii iii! iiii iiii i!i! ilil iiii iiii iiii iiii iiii iiii iiii iiiiiiii iiii!iiiiiii iiii !iiiiiii iiii iiiiii!i iiii !iii !iiii!iii!i ii!i ii!i iiil iiii !i!i!iiiii!i!ill iiiiiiii! i!i iiii iili ii!i iiiiii!i iliiii!i iili iiiiiiiiiiililil iiii iiil ilil iliiiiiiiiiiiiii ilii ilii iiii iiii iiii iiii iiii iiiiiiii ilil i!il iiil iiii ii ii iiiiiiii iiiiiiii iiii !i !i!i !i!i !i!i !i!i !i!i !i!i !i!i !i!i !ill !i!i !i!iii!iii!i !i!i !i!i !!ii !iil !iii !iii !iii !i!i iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!iii!i ililili! iii iiii iiii iiiil iii iiiil iiii iiii iiii xvi Part II.

As we move into the 21st century it is becoming increasingly difficult to offer appropriate introductory clinical experiences for medical students. Many schools offer clinical experiences in the first year of medical school, when the learner has little background in the traditions and origins of the doctor-patient interaction. Others begin this process in the second year, after a professional language base has been established, but concise educational materials are scarce that integrate the meaning of the privileged clinical encounter with the process and content of interviewing and examining patients. In the tertiary hospitals, where most medical schools are based, the educators must provide an orienta tion to the clinical encounter, an intensely personal experience, in the midst of glittering technological marvels that easily distract both the novice physician and the wizened teacher. Understanding the context and historical basis for the privilege of interviewing and examining another person about intimate matters relating to health and disease is essential to this process. Considering these factors, this textbook is written to assist medical educators and medical students involved in early clinical training. As the demand for "high-tech" medicine has accelerated, so has the public concern over the loss of "high-touch" or compassionate, humane interactions with physicians. Physicians are perceived as more concerned with readouts from machines and fiberoptic views of the patient than with understanding and car ing about the people we have labeled as patients."

Fundamentals of Clinical Practice is an introductory textbook focusing on the patient physician relationship. Formerly closeted behind closed doors, this most intimate of healing relationships is coming under increasing scientific scrutiny. Physicians and other healthcare providers are beginning to understand the critical importance of this relation ship to the health of patients, as well as to larger societal relationships, systems, and values. To facilitate the reader's exploration of the patient-physician relationship, all chap ters include numerous illustrative cases and conclude with cases for discussion that allow small groups of learners to tackle these difficult issues. Our hypothesis is that through discussion a deeper understanding of the dynamics of the patient-physician relationship will allow medical students and other future healthcare providers to form more effective therapeutic relationships with their patients. Part I of this textbook, "The Patient," explores the relationship through the patient's perspective, with chapters on human health and disease and individual and family devel opment. Understanding the patient's perspective is critical to establishing a sound thera peutic relationship. The day when a physician could maintain solely a disease or techno logical perspective is fading fast under the weight of patient criticism, particularly in primary care fields. Patients judge such a disease or technological perspective as less humane and frequently vote with their feet, finding other physicians who are much better able to balance the caring aspects of medicine with the curing.