title: Tolerating uncertainty in family medicine.
abstract: In family practice, early undifferentiated signs and symptoms dominate many consultations. A physician must learn to tolerate uncertainty in addition to managing well-defined pathological processes. A series of steps are presented on how to approach the uncertain. I hope these will stimulate further comment and help to develop a body of organized and testable knowledge on the skills of managing the uncertain problems in family practice.
mesh_terms: D003657:Decision Making; D019937:Diagnostic Techniques and Procedures; D005194:Family Practice / Q000379:methods*; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations