What component of the history and physical examination includes an inventory designed to uncover current or past subjective symptoms?

• A. Review of systems
• B. Physical examination
• C. Past medical history
• D. Plan

Answer: (A)

The main idea is that the review of systems is the part of the history where the clinician asks a structured set of questions to uncover subjective symptoms across all body systems. It collects what the patient is currently experiencing or has experienced in the past, based on their own reports. This inventory of symptoms helps reveal issues the patient might not volunteer spontaneously and guides further questioning and testing. The physical examination, by contrast, focuses on objective findings the clinician observes or measures, not on patient-reported symptoms. The past medical history covers prior illnesses and treatments, not the current symptom checklist, and the plan outlines management rather than data collection.