text: As an epidemiologist, I have to read medical histories on a regular basis. To help you learn to take good medical Hx, let me offer you my personal wishlist of things I would like to see more of on H&P.\n\nFirst up, if you have a really good idea of what the ailment is, you can focus your questions towards that ailment, particularly RISK FACTORS for that ailment. \n\nFor example, in cases of Vibrio infections, ask the patient about travel history, food history, water exposures.\n\nIf you are working on a possible STD, ask about sexual history -- number of partners, partners incarcerated, injection drug use, etc. If the STD patient is a teen (as most are), ask about home life, age of partner (you may be required to report if the patient is young enough), number of partners, school attendance and so forth.\n\nAnd in general asking about family history, social history, other medical coniditions, medications, illicit drug use , occupational exposures will be helpful.\n\nMuch of the time, I find that doctors forget to ask about food exposures or travel history. Those are key players in many diseases, and it leaves big gaps for researchers like me if I cannot get that information.