However, unsurprisingly @rallamee has a kinder view of us as a profession.
We, in contrast, have a wagon load of printouts, scans and whatnot to look at.
To obtain this info we have:
Incidentally whenever anyone says this, when talking about interpreting a diagnostic, I burst out laughing.
People look baffled and I have to leave by the side door.
Because in clinical practice, we cheat, and are proud of it! We teach others to do it too
We don't TELL him it's life-saving, that would be lying. But we ACT as though it is. We've rushed him to have tests, and book his PCI displacing his work and leisure plans.
"Of course I need it! Otherwise why would they be doing all this stuff?"
The first answerer was "Do tests"
The only better answer than that, is an option I did not offer, which is "Take a history", i.e. ask about the nature of the pain.
The patient is reassured, "Not only did they save my life, but they have got rid of my angina, and I only have rubbish symptoms now. Isn't that great?"
Doctor is happy
Researchers reporting effect of PCI truthfully report a dramatic fall in symptoms
That's a somewhat nicey-nicey way to put it, avoiding any mention of lying, cheating, stealing etc.
Oops.
(Complaints to @rallamee please. ORBITA was nothing to do with me)