Biomaterial Database

Introducing first-year medical students to early diagnostic hypotheses. 1978

P J Taylor, and P H Harasym, and R D Laurenson

The early formation of hypotheses is recognized as an important part of a clinical diagnosis (clinical problem-solving). This paper describes a method of instruction in gynecology for first-year medical students which encouraged the formulation of early diagnostic hypotheses. In paper and pencil case simulations designed for independent learning, students were provided with a set of clinical clues that helped them make broad general diagnostic hypotheses rather than the narrow hypotheses typical of beginning students. A description of the method of evaluating the student's ability to form diagnostic hypotheses, the results of evaluations, and the students' perceptions of the course are included in this report.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D011340	Problem Solving	A learning situation involving more than one alternative from which a selection is made in order to attain a specific goal.
D002983	Clinical Competence	The capability to perform acceptably those duties directly related to patient care.	Clinical Skills,Competence, Clinical,Clinical Competency,Clinical Skill,Competency, Clinical,Skill, Clinical,Skills, Clinical,Clinical Competencies,Competencies, Clinical
D003463	Cues	Signals for an action; that specific portion of a perceptual field or pattern of stimuli to which a subject has learned to respond.	Cue
D004504	Education, Medical, Undergraduate	The period of medical education in a medical school. In the United States it follows the baccalaureate degree and precedes the granting of the M.D.	Medical Education, Undergraduate,Education, Undergraduate Medical,Undergraduate Medical Education
D004521	Educational Measurement	The assessing of academic or educational achievement. It includes all aspects of testing and test construction.	Assessment, Educational,Graduate Records Examination,Educational Assessment,Examination, Graduate Records,Measurement, Educational,Assessments, Educational,Educational Assessments,Educational Measurements,Examinations, Graduate Records,Graduate Records Examinations,Measurements, Educational
D005260	Female		Females
D005831	Genital Diseases, Female	Pathological processes involving the female reproductive tract (GENITALIA, FEMALE).	Gynecologic Diseases,Female Genital Diseases,Diseases, Female Genital,Diseases, Gynecologic,Female Genital Disease,Genital Disease, Female,Gynecologic Disease
D006176	Gynecology	A medical-surgical specialty concerned with the physiology and disorders primarily of the female genital tract, as well as female endocrinology and reproductive physiology.
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000416	Alberta	A province of western Canada, lying between the provinces of British Columbia and Saskatchewan. Its capital is Edmonton. It was named in honor of Princess Louise Caroline Alberta, the fourth daughter of Queen Victoria. (From Webster's New Geographical Dictionary, 1988, p26 & Room, Brewer's Dictionary of Names, 1992, p12)