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Table 1 SOAP method allows for gathering data, making objective assessments, developing a differential diagnosis and plan of action

From: Dealing with the difficult student in emergency medicine

 

Definition

Examples

Subjective

Describe the chief complaint of the behavior

"Student is repeatedly late to shift"

"Student cannot provide appropriate differential diagnoses for patient presentations"

Objective

List specific instances of behavior

"On night shift of 4/15, student arrived 45 min after scheduled start of shift"

"After interviewing a patient with altered mental status, student's only diagnosis was intoxication"

Assessment

Differential diagnosis of the difficulty

Lateness = professionalism, attitudinal

Inadequate knowledge base = cognitive

Plan

Detailed course of action, with learner input

"Student will arrive 10 min early for each shift and must have shift card signed upon arrival"

"Student will read core chapters on selected EM topics and be able to list differential diagnoses for several basic EM patient presentations"