drawing of headphones Module 3 – Unit 2:  Listening Task  click to Listen

Reporting to an Attending Physician

Think About It   What are some physical symptoms that can be caused by stress? How is stress generally treated in your country? Is it linked to certain illnesses? Are medications usually prescribed for stress?

First Listening

You will hear Dr. Garcia, a resident, giving a report about a patient to Dr. Patel, an attending physician. Listen to the report and write the terms that the doctors use to describe Ms. Chen’s symptoms next to their meanings below.

front of her head _____________________________
both temples  _______________________________
dizzy spells  ________________________________
she’s not able to sleep ________________________
indigestion _____________________________________

Second Listening

Listen to the conversation again and answer the following questions.

  1. What is Ms. Chen’s most serious symptom?

  2. How many body systems does Dr. Garcia refer to in reporting about Ms. Chen?

  3. Does Dr. Patel disagree with anything that Dr. Garcia reports?

  4. Why does Dr. Patel ask about Ms. Chen’s work?

  5. Do you think the treatment plan for Ms. Chen’s stress is a common one in the U.S.? Is it common in your country?

Complete the following patient history that Dr. Garcia wrote about Ms. Chen. Write 4 - 5 sentences that summarize Ms. Chen’s symptoms, her own description of her condition, and her work situation. Use appropriate medical terminology and abbreviations.

The patient is a 33-year-old Asian female whose chief complaint is recurrent frontal and bilateral temporal headaches for the past two months.