Overview
Clinical Reasoning is part of the fabric of our UPSOM medical curriculum. Clinical reasoning refers to the skills, practice and philosophy of using evidence-based medicine to make diagnoses and provide the best care to our patients. Clinical Reasoning is a AAMC core competency. And, to us, it is so much more. To us, clinical reasoning encompasses not only the practice of critical thinking in clinical decision-making but also the culture in which these skills are valued and uplifted.
Starting right away in MS1, students will learn the common intellectual framework and language that governs clinical reasoning. Students will regularly engage in clinical reasoning in the context of case-based sessions. They will also use the tools of evidence-based medicine and critical appraisal in the classroom setting (Keystone Fundamentals & Organ Systems) and in the clinical setting (Patient Centered Care). In MS2, students will gain experience synthesizing critical medical information, using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions and/or approaches to problems, and will acquire skills for communicating uncertainty. In clerkships and electives, students will use clinical reasoning frameworks and systematic approach to care for their patients.
All students interns, residents, and faculty also have the opportunity to engage in different Reasoning Conference series, online training modules, and continuing education initiatives through UPSOM and UPMC.