Abdominal pain
Assess abdominal pain, keep dangerous alternatives in mind and discuss a safe next step.
Clinical learning outcomes: Awaiting named clinical review.
What you should learn
- Take a focused history and perform an appropriate abdominal examination.
- Suggest a prioritised differential and initial investigations.
Recognise and explain
- Consider surgical, urinary, vascular, medical and pregnancy-related causes.
On your placement
Agree the activity and supervision with the clinical team. For patient-facing learning, seek permission and respect the patient’s comfort and care needs.
- Clerk a patient and present positive and relevant negative findings.
- Discuss whether pregnancy testing or urgent imaging is indicated.
- Follow the decision about observation, referral or discharge.
Start here
MLA: gastrointestinal history
Take a focused gastrointestinal history and test the important possibilities.
MLA: abdominal examination
Review examination technique and how to present the findings.
Current guidance
NICE: abdominal pain when early pregnancy is possible
Read recognition and referral for possible ectopic pregnancy; this is not guidance for every cause of abdominal pain.
Practise
One learner performs. One checks the important steps and gives feedback. Then swap. These are St Emlyn’s practice tools, not official MLA scoring systems.
Abdominal examination paired practice
Practise the abdominal examination with a consenting partner, then present the findings.
On your next shift
Ask which finding or uncertainty led to observation, referral or a specific safety-netting plan.
How this relates to GMC graduate outcomes and the MLA
These are St Emlyn’s learning connections, not a claim that this page covers every national requirement.
Presentations and conditions: Abdominal pain.
Clinical and professional capabilities: Assessment and clinical reasoning; Recognising limits and seeking help.
Practical skills: Abdominal examination.
St Emlyn’s interpretation of relevant GMC graduate outcomes and MLA themes; these are summary labels, not official topic codes or a complete curriculum.
Explore the student placement programme
Student practice and graduate expectations
About this resource and its review
A St Emlyn’s guide to learning Emergency Medicine during undergraduate placements. It is not an official medical-school or GMC curriculum. Your medical school’s curriculum and assessment requirements take precedence.
National foundations: GMC Outcomes for Graduates, the practical-skills supplement and the MLA content map applying from September 2026.
Framework checked: 8 October 2026. This is a source check, not clinical sign-off.
Clinical learning outcomes: awaiting named clinical review.
The four learning routes are St Emlyn’s groupings. The six interconnected MLA domains remain part of the official content map.