A physical exam will consist of an evaluation of your medical history, vital signs, and an observation of your eyes, ears, nose, and throat. Your doctor will also perform palpation, which is a hands-on technique to check for disease or injury in certain parts of the body, and percussion, which involves placing one hand on your abdomen and tapping it with the other to determine the location of your organs and identify any blockages. During the evaluation of your medical history, your doctor will ask you questions about any serious illnesses that you or members of your immediate family have had, previous injuries, surgeries, or hospitalizations, and whether you have any allergies or are taking any medications. You will want to prepare this information before your physical to expedite the process. For your vital signs, your physician will check your temperature, blood pressure, and heart rate. Depending on the specific type of physical, other techniques or evaluations will be brought into consideration. Different kinds of examinations include sports or school physicals, pre-employment physicals, and Department of Transportation (DOT) physicals.