Final answer:
The Chief Complaint is the part of the medical history that documents the patient's symptoms that prompted medical attention, in their own words.
Step-by-step explanation:
The part of the medical history that documents the nature and duration of the symptoms that caused a patient to seek medical attention, as stated in the patient's own words, is the Chief Complaint. This is a concise statement describing the symptom, problem, condition, diagnosis, or other factor that is the reason for the medical encounter, usually in the patient’s words. For example, if a patient like John, a 65-year-old man with pre-existing conditions, visits his physician due to headache, chest pain, coughing, and shortness of breath, these symptoms would be listed under his chief complaint.