In the SOAP note, the patient’s description of symptoms is documented in which section?

• A. Objective
• B. Assessment
• C. Plan
• D. Subjective

Answer: (D)

The patient-reported symptoms go in the subjective portion of a SOAP note. This section captures what the patient tells you—their current symptoms, history of present illness, pain level, functional concerns, and other experiences of illness—and is based on the patient’s own words, so it’s considered subjective data. The objective portion includes what you observe or measure during the exam—vital signs, physical findings, and results from tests or imaging. The assessment is your diagnostic impression built from integrating subjective and objective data, and the plan outlines the treatment and follow-up actions. For example, a patient saying, "I’ve had a pounding headache for two days and it’s a 7 out of 10," is documented in Subjective, while a measured blood pressure of 120/80 and normal physical exam findings would be in Objective.