Running the list
Formal Definition
The systematic verbal review of all patients on a service, typically performed at the beginning of rounds, during sign-out, or when a covering resident takes over.
How It's Used on the Ward
"Let's run the list" — going patient by patient: name, one-liner, overnight events, active issues, plan for the day.
Example
""Senior to intern at 6am: 'Before attending shows up at 7:30, let's run the list quickly so you're not caught off guard on any of your patients.'""
Clinical Context
Running the list is the scaffold for rounds and handoff. Good list-running = one-liner, key overnight events, today's active problems, plan. Bad list-running = reading every lab value from the EMR. As a student, build a concise one-liner for each patient before morning rounds so you can contribute efficiently.
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