Development of clinical reasoning in an undergraduate medical program at a Brazilian university

Reflections on the Inclusion of Direct-Care Physicians as Educators in Community Hospitals

This paper discusses the increasing trend of direct-care physicians taking on teaching roles in community hospitals, both in the United States and Brazil. It highlights the challenges faced by these physicians, who often lack formal pedagogical training and dedicated time for teaching. The text emphasizes the need for structured support, faculty development programs, and collaboration with academic centers to ensure the quality of education in these settings. It also underscores the potential benefits of this model, such as increased access to medical training in underserved areas and a more hands-on learning experience for students. Overall, the document calls for a thoughtful and comprehensive approach to integrating direct-care physicians as educators, ensuring that this practice benefits both the physicians themselves and the quality of medical education.

Medical Students' Clinical Reasoning During a Simulated Viral Pandemic: Evidence of Cognitive Integration and Insights on Novices' Approach to Diagnostic Reasoning

INTRODUCTION

Cognitive integration from multiple disciplines is essential to clinical problem-solving. Because it is not directly observable, demonstrating evidence of learners' cognitive integration remains a challenge. In addition, little is known about preclinical medical students' approach to diagnostic reasoning despite widespread implementation of clinical reasoning curricula for these early learners. The objectives of this study were to characterize how first-year medical students integrated knowledge to problem-solve during a simulated viral pandemic and to characterize students' diagnostic reasoning approach to this clinical scenario.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Student teams analyzed clinical data to formulate hypotheses for the pandemic's source and submitted reports justifying their hypotheses and treatment recommendations. A content analysis on students' reports identified codes and themes characterizing the learning content integrated and students' approaches to diagnostic reasoning tasks.

RESULTS

Sixteen problem-solving codes were identified, demonstrating integration of new and previously encountered content from multiple disciplines. A compare-contrast analytical approach was the most commonly employed diagnostic reasoning approach (100%), with a smaller subset of teams also using a causal approach (20%).

DISCUSSION

Content analysis of preclinical students' diagnostic justification tasks provided insights into their approach to diagnostic reasoning, which was most consistent with the search-inference framework rather than a causal approach, likely due to limited pathophysiological knowledge at that point in training.

CONCLUSIONS

Evidence of cognitive integration can be made explicit through learners' narrative justification of diagnostic reasoning tasks. Preclinical students' diagnostic reasoning development has implications for curricular design and implementation for this learner group.

Clinical reasoning in nursing: teaching strategies and assessment tools

ABSTRACT Objective: To present the concept and development of teaching strategies and the assessment tools regarding clinical reasoning for accurate practice. Method: This is a theoretical reflection based on scientific studies. Results: Comprehension of the essential concepts of the thought process and its articulation with the different teaching strategies and the assessment tools which has allowed presenting ways to improve the process of diagnostic or therapeutic clinical reasoning. Conclusion: The use of new strategies and assessment tools should be encouraged in order to contribute to the development of skills that lead to safe and effective decision making.