Benchmarks for Head & Neck

The FCM benchmarks for the HEENT exam are listed below.  You should be able to perform each of these skills in clerkships or in an objective structured clinical skills exam (OSCE).

• Inspect the head and the scalp

     Eyes

• Measure visual acuity
• Inspect the external eye
• Observe corneal light reflex
• Assess size and reactivity of pupils
• Assess the red reflex with the ophthalmoscope

    Ears

• Assess hearing
• Inspect and palpate the auricle and mastoid
• Perform otoscopy

     Nose

• Inspect the external nose for symmetry & discharge

     Mouth

• Inspect the oral cavity, including the teeth and gums
• Palpate salivary glands
• Palpate temporomandibular joints (TMJ)

      Neck

• Inspect the neck for symmetry and masses
• Palpate the cervical lymph nodes
• Palpate the thyroid gland
• Auscultate the carotid artery
• Palpate the carotid pulse

Perform additional problem focused maneuvers:

• Weber and Rinne to differentiate conductive and sensorineural hearing loss.
• Palpate the sinuses in suspected sinusitis
• Inspect the nasal mucosa in suspected allergic or infectious rhinitis or sinusitis