How I Met Your Patient: The Basics of Clinical Thinking

 

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We’ve all heard of the ABCDEs when learning about emergency medicine and first aid. But what happens when you take that framework and apply it in a hospital setting, where the patient is stable, but the situation is still evolving? In her lecture titled “How I Met Your Patient,” Dr. Celina Gupta—LF1 graduate and NHS doctor—walked us through exactly that.

            This wasn’t a lecture about theory. It was about real-life practice: how to approach a patient on the ward, what to look out for, and how to think clinically from the moment you walk into the room. It was honest, practical, and filled with the kind of details you rarely find in textbooks but always need in real life.

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            Dr. Gupta built on the familiar ABCDE structure but adjusted it to reflect what’s actually done on the ward. She broke down how each letter applies not in emergencies, but during a regular patient assessment—and what changes when you’re not just trying to stabilize, but trying to understand.

• A – Airway and B – Breathing are still the first things to check, but the approach is more subtle. You’re listening to the patient, watching their breathing rate, and making sure they’re not in distress.

• C – Circulation goes far beyond feeling for a pulse. It includes looking for specific abnormalities in the patient’s chart and knowing how to tackle them.

• D – Disability involves much more than checking consciousness. One crucial step she highlighted was reviewing the patient’s drug chart—a detail often skipped by new students. Medications can explain confusion, sedation, or even unexpected symptoms, and checking the chart early can give huge clues.

• E – Exposure encourages a full-body look, not just a focused exam. Dr. Gupta stressed the importance of actually looking at the skin—for rashes, bruising, signs of bleeding, or other abnormalities. Temperature matters too, as does checking the patient’s observation chart to see how things have changed over time.

           

The lecture also included a look at model NHS patient observation charts, giving students a chance to see how patient status is documented and how trends are tracked. It helped connect the dots between physical examination and written records—a crucial link for anyone hoping to work in a clinical setting.

            Dr. Gupta’s approach made the whole process feel more manageable. Instead of memorizing endless lists or jumping into advanced diagnostics, the lecture focused on how to start simple, think clearly, and stay systematic. She reminded us that patient examination isn’t about rushing through steps—it’s about building a clear picture, one observation at a time.

          

By the end of the session, many of us walked away with a better understanding of how to approach patients—not just physically, but thoughtfully. "How I Met Your Patient" wasn’t just a clever title; it was a reminder that good medicine always starts with a good first look.