Patient exposure in the basic science classroom enhances differential diagnosis formation and clinical decision-making.

ABSTRACT: Purpose. The authors proposed that introducing real patients into a pathology classroom early in medical education would help integrate fundamental principles and disease pathology with clinical presentation and medical history. Methods. Three patients with different pathologies described their history and presentation without revealing their diagnosis. Students were required to submit a differential diagnosis in writing, and then were able to ask questions to arrive at the correct diagnosis. Students were surveyed on the efficacy of patient-based learning. Results. Average student scores on the differential diagnosis assignments significantly improved 32% during the course. From the survey, 72% of students felt that patient encounters should be included in the pathology course next year.

SUBMITTER: Peacock JG 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4349165 | biostudies-literature | 2015

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature