TY - JOUR AU - Burnier, Isabelle AU - Ratté, Juliane AU - De Roock, Sophie AU - Benoit , Stéphanie AU - Denis-LeBlanc, Manon PY - 2022/03/29 Y2 - 2024/03/29 TI - Clinical reasoning and simulation: facilitating hypothesis prioritization using simulated patients. Data from quantitative research JF - Canadian Medical Education Journal JA - Can. Med. Ed. J VL - 13 IS - 5 SE - Original Research DO - 10.36834/cmej.73556 UR - https://journalhosting.ucalgary.ca/index.php/cmej/article/view/73556 SP - 6-13 AB - <p><strong>Background: </strong>Prioritizing diagnostic hypotheses can be difficult for novice medical students given their limited clinical exposure. Simulated clinical reasoning (CR) clinics allow students to practice focused histories with a simulated patient (SP).  The delivery of clinical data by SPs can influence hypothesis generation.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>This pilot study seeks to test whether the transmission of key elements through SP acting influences CR prioritization among medical students.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>The diagnostic hypotheses of two cohorts of students of the same academic level were compared following a virtual interview with an SP. The SPs in the experimental group were given a targeted script and briefing on key elements while the SPs in the control group were given a traditional script and briefing. The difference between the distributions of frequencies of the hypotheses of the two groups was determined using the chi-square calculation.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The students in the experimental group prioritized expert-validated hypotheses more than those in the control group. The control group showed greater variability in their diagnostic choices.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Targeting the delivery of key elements by SPs could be a way to help novice medical students prioritize their diagnostic hypotheses. Simulated CR clinics therefore become a space for learning about CR in the absence of clinical exposure. The risk of inducing premature closure of clinical reasoning needs further research.</p> ER -