Create a patient by mixing the various demographics, presentations, patient information and vital signs.
Next, generate a list of differential diagnoses, investigations you might request and a suitable management plan, then…
STOP & THINK*
1. What assumptions am I making?
2. What cues am I using?
3. How am I handling information that doesn’t fit?
4. How confident am I with my diagnosis?
5. What would it be important not to miss?
6. How could I check whether my plan is working?
After doing this, click on one or more of the patient’s details, see whether it alters what you are thinking and ask yourself, ‘Why?’ By doing this, you will become more aware of your thinking processes, how you synthesise a diagnosis and where you may have biases that need attending.
Remember, ‘Why am I thinking this?’ is usually a much better question than ‘What am I thinking?’