During their education, medical students must learn and develop the fundamental history-taking and physical examination skills to prepare them for their medical careers. In an effort to standardize the clinical evaluations of these skills, North American medical schools use of Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs). Medical students and residents perform clinical tasks with a simulated patient and the student in evaluated on the questions that are asked of the "patient" and how the physical examination was conducted. These are generally evaluated in a checklist manner, with appropriate actions receiving a checkmark. Most medical schools use this form of evaluation as early as the first year of medicine. The OSCE and Clinical Skills Handbook was designed as a study aid for medical students preparing for these examinations. It summarizes important history and physical examination skills but also presents the information in a Q & A format, designed to facilitate both individ