Through the looking glass: history-taking revisited.

Traditional teaching of history-taking stops short of assisting the learner to evaluate the doctor-patient relationship, and incorporate this into clinical decision making. The evolution of specific programs in interviewing skills is reviewed, emphasizing the content and process of the medical interview and newer teaching methods being used in these programs. Improved methods of evaluating the effectiveness of these programs, including increased patient and physician satisfaction, will form part of the future direction of residency programs in family medicine. (Can Fam Physician 1981; 27:827-830).