Which components are included in a SOAP note?

• A. Subjective, Objective, Assessment, Procedures
• B. Symptoms, Observations, Assessment, Plan
• C. Subjective, Objective, Analysis, Plan
• D. Subjective, Objective, Assessment, Plan

Answer: (A)

SOAP notes organize clinical information into four parts: Subjective, Objective, Assessment, Plan. Subjective captures what the patient reports—symptoms, history, and concerns. Objective includes what the clinician observes or measures—exam findings, vitals, test results. Assessment is the clinician’s diagnostic impression or problem list. Plan outlines the next steps: treatments, medications, ordered tests, referrals, patient education, and follow-up arrangements. The standard final section is Plan; listing Procedures would imply a separate category for specific actions, which isn’t how SOAP is structured. Other options mix terms that belong in earlier sections or use nonstandard wording like Analysis or Symptoms/Observations. For example: Subjective—patient reports two-day history of abdominal pain; Objective—localized tenderness with normal vitals; Assessment—acute gastroenteritis; Plan—oral rehydration, antiemetic, and follow-up in 48 hours.