Residents and medical students noting the chief complaint during verbal presentations

The chief complaint is an important element of the medical history. Over a one-month period in 1999, the author observed 55 presentations of house officers and medical students on an inpatient ward at Miami Valley Hospital, an affiliate of Wright State. House officers noted the chief complaint in 49% of their presentations; students, in 61% of theirs. Educators need to stress the importance of the chief complaint during verbal case presentations.