Clinical decision-making is often fraught with uncertainties.
However, expert diagnosticians are able to maintain a degree
of suspicion throughout the assessment process, to consider
a range of potential explanations, and then to generate and narrow
their differential diagnosis, based on their previous experience, familiarity
with the evidence related to various diagnoses, and understanding
of their individual patient. Through the process, they
perform assessment techniques involved in both the history and
physical examination in an effective and reliable manner and select
appropriate diagnostic studies to support their assessment.