Patient interview

How to interview a patient with easy bruising or bleeding

Other platforms explain it with text and video. In VMS you practice it on the patient.

MD / DOPA
Practice it in VR with Blocky

The pattern tells the cause: skin and gum bleeding suggest platelets; joint and muscle bleeding suggest clotting factors.

Step by step

  1. Introduce yourself and look

    Get consent and look at the skin. [1]

  2. Pattern

    Small dots (petechiae), bruises, gum bleeding, nosebleeds, heavy periods, joint bleeding. [2]

  3. Onset

    Lifelong or new. [2]

  4. Bleeding challenges

    Bleeding after dental work, surgery or childbirth. [3]

  5. Medicines

    Blood thinners, aspirin, anti-inflammatories, steroids, supplements. [3]

  6. Other illness

    Liver disease, fever, weight loss, fatigue. [3]

  7. Family and safety

    Family history; in children and older adults, consider abuse. [3]

Common errors

Practice it in VMS

In VMS you do this on the patient, not on paper: every step goes on the checklist with a score, and in Teach mode Blocky tells you what comes next.

VMS cases that train this skill

11 VMS cases train this skill: open the case library

Sources

  1. AAMC Core Entrustable Professional Activities (Core EPAs)
  2. NBOME COMLEX-USA clinical presentations
  3. NCCPA PANCE Content Blueprint

Facts and steps follow NBOME COMLEX-USA clinical presentations; NCCPA PANCE Content Blueprint; AAMC Core Entrustable Professional Activities (Core EPAs). VMS is not affiliated with these organizations. Updated: 2026-10-11.