Differential diagnosis is the systematic process of considering various possible medical conditions or diseases that could explain a patient’s symptoms or clinical findings. It involves gathering and analyzing data, such as medical history, physical examination results, and diagnostic tests, to narrow down the list of potential diagnoses and ultimately identify the most likely explanation for the patient’s condition. This critical thinking skill is essential for healthcare professionals to accurately diagnose and treat patients.
Proficiency in this fundamental skill is paramount in medical practice, driving informed treatment strategies and enhancing patient outcomes. This course builds upon existing knowledge of medical fundamentals, bridging the gap between theoretical understanding and practical application in clinical settings.
Learning objectives
After the completion of this course, students should be able to:
- Generate differential diagnoses for key symptoms: depression, back pain, headache, hearing loss, dizziness, nausea/vomiting, altered mental status, sore throat, chest pain, dyspnea, oligomenorrhea, postmenopausal bleeding, and diarrhea
- Perform focused physical exams that is relevant to the current complaint and history of present illness.
- Apply clinical reasoning: distinguish between diagnoses, identify red flags, and select appropriate workup/management plans.
- Document patient encounters using SOAP format.
- Identify and minimize cognitive biases in clinical decision-making.
- Conduct targeted diagnostic assessments, such as PHQ-9, mini-mental state exam, and straight-leg test, among others.
- Recognize pathognomonic clinical findings for common presentations: giant cell arteritis, Meniere’s disease, BPPV, Kawasaki disease, pericarditis, pulmonary embolism, prolactinoma, PCOS
Course outline
- Introduction to Differential Diagnosis and Clinical Reasoning
- Documentation and SOAP Notes
- Approach to Patients with Specific Presentations (Case Discussions)
