Physicians must be highly skilled in providing care to individual patients. They must be able to obtain from their patients an accurate medical history that contains all relevant information; to perform in a highly skilled manner a complete and a limited, organ system specific, physical examination; to perform skillfully those diagnostic procedures warranted by their patients' conditions and for which they have been trained; to obtain, interpret properly, and manage information from laboratory and radiology studies that relate to the patients' conditions; and seek consultation from other physicians and other health professionals when indicated. They must understand the etiology; the pathogenesis; and the clinical, laboratory, roentgenologic, and pathologic manifestations of the diseases or conditions they are likely to confront in the practice of their specialty. They also must understand the scientific basis and evidence of effectiveness for each of the therapeutic options that are available for patients at different times in the course of the patients' conditions, and be prepared to discuss those options with patients in an honest and objective fashion. Physicians must be able to communicate with patients and patients' families about all of their concerns regarding the patients' health and well being. They must be sufficiently knowledgeable about both traditional and non-traditional modes of care to provide intelligent guidance to their patients.

For its part the medical school must ensure that before graduation a student will have demonstrated, to the satisfaction of the faculty, the following:

• The ability to obtain an accurate medical history that covers all essential aspects of the history, including issues related to age, gender, and socio-economic status
  
  
• The ability to perform both a complete and an organ system specific examination, including a mental status examination
  
  
• The ability to perform routine technical procedures including at a minimum venipuncture, inserting an intravenous catheter, arterial puncture, thoracentesis, lumbar puncture, inserting a nasogastric tube, inserting a foley catheter, and suturing lacerations
  
  
• The ability to interpret the results of commonly used diagnostic procedures
  
  
• Knowledge of the most frequent clinical, laboratory, roentgenologic, and pathologic manifestations of common maladies
  
  
• The ability to reason deductively in solving clinical problems
  
  
• The ability to construct appropriate management strategies (both diagnostic and therapeutic) for patients with common conditions, both acute and chronic, including medical, psychiatric, and surgical conditions, and those requiring short- and long-term rehabilitation
  
  
• The ability to recognize patients with immediately life threatening cardiac, pulmonary, or neurological conditions regardless of etiology, and to institute appropriate initial therapy
  
  
• The ability to recognize and outline an initial course of management for patients with serious conditions requiring critical care
  
  
• Knowledge about relieving pain and ameliorating the suffering of patients
  
  
• The ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, with patients, patients' families, colleagues, and others with whom physicians must exchange information in carrying out their responsibilities