This pocket introduction for first year clinical students starting clinical training on the ward provides basic information about how to talk to patients, take a medical history and how to start a clinical examination. The result of many years of clinical teaching experience at the University of Cambridge, this second edition is clearly thought out. With those first clinical encounters in mind, the text has been simplified to allow easy distinction of basic essential information from more detailed discussion. New clinical terms and issues have been included and the text further enlivened by clear line illustrations.