Quick references are designed to be reviewed before or during clinic so you can walk into patient encounters with a basic structure already in mind.

They are most useful when you know the type of patients you may see that day, such as:

• Hypertension follow-ups

• Diabetes visits

• URI or sore throat complaints

• Annual wellness visits

• Women’s health visits

• Pediatric sick visits

• Medication refills

• Mental health follow-ups

• Lab review appointments

Before clinic, choose 2–4 topics that are likely to come up that day. Do not try to review everything at once. That usually leads to shallow review and frustration.

For each topic, quickly review:

1. Key history questions
   What do you need to ask to narrow the differential?

2. Focused exam findings
   What physical exam findings matter most for this complaint?

3. Red flags
   What findings would require urgent evaluation, referral, escalation, or emergency care?

4. Common differentials
   What are the most likely diagnoses, and what should not be missed?

5. Initial workup
   What labs, imaging, screening tools, or point-of-care testing may be appropriate?

6. First-line management
   What lifestyle, pharmacologic, patient education, and follow-up steps are commonly considered?

7. Patient education points
   What does the patient need to understand before leaving the visit?

The goal is not to memorize every detail before clinic. The goal is to prime your brain so you recognize patterns faster and ask better questions.

Example: Before a Diabetes Follow-Up Day

Before clinic, review the diabetes quick reference and focus on:

• A1c goal considerations

• Hypoglycemia symptoms

• Medication adherence

• Home glucose patterns

• Kidney function

• Foot exam needs

• Statin and ACE/ARB considerations

• Lifestyle counseling

• Follow-up timing

Then during clinic, pay attention to how your preceptor individualizes treatment based on age, comorbidities, cost, patient preference, renal function, cardiovascular risk, and safety.