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Does Clinical Semiology Still Matter? Evidence for the Primacy of History and Physical Examination in Modern Medicine, with a Focus on the Future Central Role of Internists
Article Type: Review Article
Author: Emmanuel Andrès
Volume: Volume 1
Issue: Issue 1
Year: 2026
Keywords
Semiology; Modern medicine; Evidence-based medicine; Physical examination; Medical history; Point-of-care ultrasonography; Artificial intelligence.
Abstract
Clinical semiology — the art and science of gathering and interpreting clinical signs and symptoms — has been
practised since antiquity, yet its role in modern medicine is increasingly questioned in the era of sophisticated
imaging, laboratory analytics, and artificial intelligence (AI). In this review, we present evidence that history
taking and physical examination remain the cornerstone of the diagnostic process, accounting for approximately
76–82% of diagnoses in primary and secondary care settings. We examine the diagnostic accuracy and likelihood
ratios of key clinical signs across major organ systems, discuss the consequences of declining bedside skills on
diagnostic error rates, and explore how contemporary tools — including point-of-care ultrasonography (POCUS)
and AI-assisted decision support — should complement rather than supplant semiological competence. We
further highlight the pivotal and expanding role of internists, who, at the interface of primary and specialized
care, are uniquely positioned to preserve, integrate, and advance clinical semiology in complex diagnostic
reasoning. We conclude that semiology is irreplaceable, both as a diagnostic technology and as the foundation
of the therapeutic physician–patient relationship, and propose a framework for its renaissance in 21st-century
medical education and practice.