Dissecting the Consultation

The consultation is the focal point of medicine. A clinician and a patient, held together in a relationship of care, collaborate in identifying that patient's needs and finding a solution. Scientific knowledge and clinical skill only make sense in the context of that interaction. Each consultation is unique, a close-up live performance with a very small audience. After describing key elements of the consultation, an expert in a different kind of close-up live performance will be introduced -...