When taking the USMLE Step 2 CS, it’s important to know layman’s terms for common conditions an examinee might experience during the patient encounters. It’s a mistake to use only medical jargon when interacting with your Standardized Patient, possibly lowering your Communication and Interpersonal Skills score. Based on the “Common Presenting Signs and Symptoms List”, here are some conditions and the everyday medical terms that a typical American patient might use.

1. KICKING BUCKETS: LAYMAN’S
TERMS INTERNATIONAL
DOCTORS HAVE TO KNOW
“Doctor, do ya think I’m gonna kick the bucket
soon?”
“Why yes, I think you’ll be kicking buckets very
soon.”

2. Uh, oh… massive
communication failure!

3. “Examinees demonstrate skills in providing
information by using terms the patient can
understand and by providing reasons that the
patient can accept. These statements need to be
clear and understandable and the words need to be
those in common usage.”- Scoring the Step 2 CS
Exam CIS Subcomponent

4. When taking the USMLE Step 2 CS, it’s important to know
layman’s terms for common conditions an examinee
might experience during the patient encounters. It’s a
mistake to use only medical jargon when interacting with
your Standardized Patient, possibly lowering your
Communication and Interpersonal Skills score.

5. Especially for international examinees,
using everyday terms also shows a grasp
of the English language in a practical way.

6. Based on the “Common Presenting Signs and Symptoms
List”, here are some conditions and the everyday
medical terms that a typical American patient might
use.

7. BACK PAIN
to throw out: “I
picked up a heavy
box and threw out
my back.”
killing me: “I can’t
get off of the couch
because my back is
killing me!”

8. EAR RELATED
COMPLAINTS
ringing in the ears (tinnitus):
This constant ringing in my ears is driving me
crazy.
swimmer’s ear (otitis externa):
We joined the “Y” this summer, and now little
Johnny has swimmer’s ear.
(“Y”= the YMCA)
busted eardrum (tympanic membrane
perforation):
I think I busted my eardrum while duck hunting.
I should have worn ear protection.

9. MUSCLE PAIN
charley horse (muscle spasm in the calf):
I woke up screaming in pain with a
charley horse.
shin splints (medial tibial stress
syndrome):
I got shin splints in the Army by running
in boots.
pulled groin (Adductor strain):

10. PALPITATIONS/
ARRHYTHMIA
pounding in the chest:
I feel a pounding in my chest
after eating at the Chinese
buffet.
racing heart:
My heart is racing, and I feel like
I’m having a panic attack.
fluttering:
When I lay down at night, I can
feel my heart fluttering in my
chest.

11. FEELING GASSY/
BLOATED:
AFTER DRINKING
MILK, I FEEL
BLOATED AND
GASSY. MAYBE I’M
LACTOSE
INTOLERANT?
Abdominal
Extension

12. ABDOMINAL
PAIN
stomachache
(pronounced stoma-cake):
If you eat too much cake,
you’ll get a stomachache.
tummy ache (children):
Mommy, I have a tummy ache.
upset stomach:
I’ve had an upset stomach since
last night, and it’s getting worse.
Maybe it was the raw oysters.

13. ABNORMAL MENSES:
CYCLE/ HEAVY PERIODS/
SPOTTING
“I never had heavy
periods until after I had
a baby.“
"Lately, I've noticed
spotting in the middle
of my cycle."

14. ALTERED BOWEL
HABITS
a bout of diarrhea:
"I had a bout of
diarrhea during the
cruise."
loose bowels:
"I had loose bowels last
night, but now I feel
fine."

15. TWITCH:
"MY EYE WON'T STOP TWITCHING."
TIC/TREMOR:
"MY FRIEND HAS A NERVOUS TIC IN HER NECK
AND A TREMOR IN HER HAND."
ABNORMAL
MOVEMENTS

16. IF YOU ARE AN INTERNATIONAL DOCTOR PLANNING
TO TAKE THE USMLE STEP 2 CS, CONTACT ME TO
DISCOVER HOW MY PROGRAM CAN HELP INCREASE
YOUR CIS AND SEP SCORES.
#English4Docs