RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 The value of the physical examination in clinical practice: an international survey JF Clinical Medicine JO Clin Med FD Royal College of Physicians SP 490 OP 498 DO 10.7861/clinmedicine.17-6-490 VO 17 IS 6 A1 Andrew T Elder A1 I Chris McManus A1 Alan Patrick A1 Kichu Nair A1 Louella Vaughan A1 Jane Dacre YR 2017 UL http://www.rcpjournals.org/content/17/6/490.abstract AB A structured online survey was used to establish the views of 2,684 practising clinicians of all ages in multiple countries about the value of the physical examination in the contemporary practice of internal medicine. 70% felt that physical examination was ‘almost always valuable’ in acute general medical referrals. 66% of trainees felt that they were never observed by a consultant when undertaking physical examination and 31% that consultants never demonstrated their use of the physical examination to them. Auscultation for pulmonary wheezes and crackles were the two signs most likely to be rated as frequently used and useful, with the character of the jugular venous waveform most likely to be rated as ­infrequently used and not useful. Physicians in contemporary hospital general medical practice continue to value the contribution of the physical examination to assessment of outpatients and inpatients, but, in the opinion of trainees, teaching and demonstration could be improved.