Step 3 Content Description

Step 3 Physician Tasks

Applying Scientific Concepts

Objectives focus on identifying the underlying processes or pathways responsible for a given condition, recognizing associated disease conditions and complications, and recognizing and evaluating clinical findings or diagnostic studies to identify the underlying factors (eg, anatomic structure).

Formulating a Diagnosis

History and Physical Examination objectives focus on interpreting the patient’s history, knowing pertinent factors in the patient’s history, interpreting the history in terms of risk factors for the patient, recognizing and interpreting pertinent physical findings, and knowing required techniques in the physical examination.

Laboratory and Diagnostic Studies objectives focus on selecting the appropriate routine, initial, invasive, special, or follow-up studies; interpreting the results of laboratory or diagnostic tests; knowing the value of and indications for screening tests; and predicting the most likely test result.

Diagnosis objectives focus on selecting the most likely diagnosis in light of history, physical, or diagnostic test findings. Includes interpreting pictorial material and establishing a diagnosis.

Prognosis objectives focus on interpreting the vignette, evaluating the severity of the patient’s condition, and making judgment on the current status or prognosis of the patient as to the need for further action.

Managing the Patient

Health Maintenance objectives focus on identifying risk factors, knowing incidence within patient groups at risk, knowing preliminary steps to ensure effectiveness of intended therapy, and selecting appropriate preventive therapeutic agents or techniques.

Clinical Intervention objectives focus on knowing priorities in emergency management, knowing present and long-term management of selected conditions, and knowing appropriate surgical treatment, including pre- and post-surgical events. They also include knowing pre- and post-procedural management and the appropriate follow-up schedule or monitoring approach.

Clinical Therapeutics objectives focus on selecting the appropriate pharmacotherapy, recognizing actions of drugs as applied to patient management, and knowing the importance of educating patients about effects of drugs and drug-drug interactions.

Legal/ethical and health care systems objectives focus on issues such as patient autonomy, physician/patient relationships, use of unorthodox or experimental therapies, end-of-life considerations, treatment of minors, and physician error versus negligence.