OSCE PREP + SCENARIOS | COMPLETE STUDY GUIDE, PRACTICE STATIONS &
CLINICAL CASES 2026/2027
HEADACHE - ANS ✔✔1) make sure pt doesn't have a fever; if so do neck tenderness and ROM
2) otherwise do neuro exam:
----orientation
----cranial nerve exam
----motor tone
----motor strength
----sensation (light touch, pin prick, vibration, proprioception)
----reflexes
----cerebellum testing (regular walking, heel-toe, finger-nose, romberg)
RLQ PAIN - ANS ✔✔1) Inspect
2) Auscultate (4 quadrants for BS; aorta, renal, iliac, femoral arteries for bruits etc)
3) Percuss (all quadrants, liver, spleen)
4) Palpate (light + deep 4 quadrants, abd aorta, liver, spleen)
5) Special tests: Mcburney's point, rebound tenderness, Psoas, obturator, cva tenderness)
SORE THROAT - ANS ✔✔1) HEAD/NECK (lymph nodes, trachea, thyroid)
2) EYES (inspection, confrontation- static finger wiggle test, H test- EOMs, convergence, pupillary
response, fundoscope exam)
3) EARS (otoscopy, whisper test; then weber & rinne tests if indicated by hearing loss)
4) NOSE (look in nose)
5) THROAT (gloved hand + tongue blade; tell pt to say ahhh, listen to voice quality etc.)
, SHORTNESS OF BREATH - ANS ✔✔CARDIAC EXAM
1) Inspect chest (bare skin)
2) JVP (HOB 30 degrees)
3) Palpate (L sternal border, PMI - left lateral position, thrills, heaves; use finger tips, then ball of
hand)
4) Auscultate (diaphragm, then bell in ALL areas on BARE skin; 1st pt sitting
upright, 2nd pt leaning forward, 3rd pt left lateral; listen to carotid arteries with bell)
5) Palpate pulses (from head to toe)
PULMONARY EXAM
1) Inspect (bare skin, anterior + posterior)
2) Palpate (on bare skin, anterior + posterior; assess ribs, etc.; perform tactile fremitus
front/back; thoracic expansion front/back)
3) Percuss (front + back)
4) Diaphragmatic excursion (have pt hold breath and percuss DOWN; have pt blow out and
percuss UPward)
5) Auscultate (apices + back + midaxillary)
6) Egophony test (say "ee"); whispered pect. (whisper 99)
BACK PAIN - ANS ✔✔1) Inspect (bare skin)
2) Palpate (entire back; palpate painful area last)
3) ROM (spine, etc.)
4) Walk (heel to toe)
5) Special tests (straight leg raise, Faber test, CVA tenderness)
*Think about kidney stones, pyelo, etc.*; rule these conditions out!
CLINICAL CASES 2026/2027
HEADACHE - ANS ✔✔1) make sure pt doesn't have a fever; if so do neck tenderness and ROM
2) otherwise do neuro exam:
----orientation
----cranial nerve exam
----motor tone
----motor strength
----sensation (light touch, pin prick, vibration, proprioception)
----reflexes
----cerebellum testing (regular walking, heel-toe, finger-nose, romberg)
RLQ PAIN - ANS ✔✔1) Inspect
2) Auscultate (4 quadrants for BS; aorta, renal, iliac, femoral arteries for bruits etc)
3) Percuss (all quadrants, liver, spleen)
4) Palpate (light + deep 4 quadrants, abd aorta, liver, spleen)
5) Special tests: Mcburney's point, rebound tenderness, Psoas, obturator, cva tenderness)
SORE THROAT - ANS ✔✔1) HEAD/NECK (lymph nodes, trachea, thyroid)
2) EYES (inspection, confrontation- static finger wiggle test, H test- EOMs, convergence, pupillary
response, fundoscope exam)
3) EARS (otoscopy, whisper test; then weber & rinne tests if indicated by hearing loss)
4) NOSE (look in nose)
5) THROAT (gloved hand + tongue blade; tell pt to say ahhh, listen to voice quality etc.)
, SHORTNESS OF BREATH - ANS ✔✔CARDIAC EXAM
1) Inspect chest (bare skin)
2) JVP (HOB 30 degrees)
3) Palpate (L sternal border, PMI - left lateral position, thrills, heaves; use finger tips, then ball of
hand)
4) Auscultate (diaphragm, then bell in ALL areas on BARE skin; 1st pt sitting
upright, 2nd pt leaning forward, 3rd pt left lateral; listen to carotid arteries with bell)
5) Palpate pulses (from head to toe)
PULMONARY EXAM
1) Inspect (bare skin, anterior + posterior)
2) Palpate (on bare skin, anterior + posterior; assess ribs, etc.; perform tactile fremitus
front/back; thoracic expansion front/back)
3) Percuss (front + back)
4) Diaphragmatic excursion (have pt hold breath and percuss DOWN; have pt blow out and
percuss UPward)
5) Auscultate (apices + back + midaxillary)
6) Egophony test (say "ee"); whispered pect. (whisper 99)
BACK PAIN - ANS ✔✔1) Inspect (bare skin)
2) Palpate (entire back; palpate painful area last)
3) ROM (spine, etc.)
4) Walk (heel to toe)
5) Special tests (straight leg raise, Faber test, CVA tenderness)
*Think about kidney stones, pyelo, etc.*; rule these conditions out!
