How long will you have?

Consultation length varies. In general practice in the UK the average length is 10 minutes. This is usually adequate as the doctor may have seen the patient on several occasions and know the family and social background. In hospital 5-10 minutes may be adequate for return outpatients, but for new and complex problems much longer - 20-30 minutes - may be needed. If you are a student learning to talk with and examine patients allow 30 minutes at least. Plan your time around how long you expect your patients to take so that others are not kept waiting, and be prepared to be flexible.