Ears were made for listening 

In clinical foundations of medicine (CFM), during my first semester of medical school, every week we learned a different section of the patient interview or physical exam and practiced through an interaction with a standardized patient. The course was intended to let us develop the skills of gathering the important and necessary components of a patient’s history and physical findings while simultaneously being empathetic and compassionate.  

At first, I felt overwhelmed with all the history components we needed to gather. There was OLD CARTS (onset, location, duration, character, aggravating/relieving factors, timing, severity). And we had to use PEARLS (partnership, empathy, acknowledgement, respect, legitimization, support). And then there were SOAP (subjective, objective, assessment, plan) notes. It felt like so much to juggle, and I found it difficult to remember anything.  

What my mentor suggested not only helped me get through CFM but has also impacted the way I interview patients and gather history in the clinical setting now as a third-year medical student on the wards. What she told me was to really lean into my innate curiosity about the patient sitting in front of me and to let that curiosity drive the questions I ask.  

This inspired me to make this piece distinguishing listening from hearing. In my initial encounters with standardized patients in CFM, I was merely hearing the patients’ stories and scribbling whatever pieces of information they would toss at me. But when I started listening and being curious, I realized not only could I remember most details, but there was also more information I could gather from the patient’s story to understand them more deeply. I hope to bring this valuable perspective with me through my career and beyond.   

This piece expresses the views solely of the author. It does not necessarily represent the views of any organization, including Johns Hopkins Medicine.