[Descriptive study about physical examination patterns of a Spanish physician's sample]

We describe the basic scheme of physical examination (PE) and the patterns of PE by specialties. We compare items explored by internists and family physicians.

A cross-sectional study on the routine physical examination made by a Spanish physician's sample. Seventy-six maneuvres were analysed by a table of frequencies obtaining physical examination patterns by specialties.

A total of 131 physicians of 140 answered the questionnaire (93.5%). They corresponded to Internal Medicine (48.1%), Family and General Medicine (32.1%), other specialties (19.8%). Average age of responders was 37.8 years (Confidence Interval [CI] 95%: 36.3-39.4) and years of experience average were 11.9 (CI 95%: 10.4-13.5). The pattern of general examination used by more than 70% of the physicians surveyed includes maneuvres related to the general examination, respiratory, cardio-circulatory, gastro-intestinal and neurological systems examination. Internists explore weight, temperature, cardiac rate, arterial pressure, neck, jugular ingurgitation, respiratory, abdominal and lymphatic system more often than family physicians (p<0.05). Family physicians perform otoscopy and nose, conches and nasal septum inspection more often than internists (p<0.05).

PE is a flexible tool physicians adapt to their needs based on the specialty they have. Internists are the specialists who make a more exhaustive physical examination compared with family physicians and other specialists.