Starting an HPI Without Awkwardness | OSCE Tips & Clinical Skills

One of the most awkward moments in a clinical encounter is the very beginning—right after you introduce yourself and need to start the HPI.In this episode of ScrubNotes: What to Say in Clinical Encounters, you’ll learn how to start a patient interview smoothly, without freezing or jumping into rapid-fire questions.We break down a simple structure using the CONNECT framework:👉 Context → Open → NarrowYou’ll learn how to:Set the stage before asking questionsUse open-ended questions to guide the patient’s storyTransition naturally into focused HPI questionsAvoid sounding robotic or abruptWe also cover common mistakes that make encounters feel disorganized, including skipping context and jumping too quickly into specifics.If you’ve ever felt unsure what to say right after introducing yourself, this episode gives you a clear, repeatable way to start strong in OSCEs and real patient encounters.🎥 Want to see this flow in a real OSCE-style interaction?Check out the ScrubNotes YouTube channel for visual walkthroughs, example dialogues, and step-by-step breakdowns:👉 https://www.youtube.com/@ScrubNotes-z7o/videos