Diagnostic Reasoning

=Objectives=
 * Deduction
 * Forward‐based reasoning works well for routine and well‐researched medical problems.
 * Several diagnostic hypotheses are generated from the patient’s signs and symptoms, then additional information is sought to confirm or refute individual hypotheses.


 * Induction
 * Backward reasoning means guessing at an explanation and working backward to find data that supports the explanation. Novice doctors have a tendency to use inductive reasoning
 * This strategy may work for non‐routine, complex cases but not those that are routine and/or well‐researched.

Demonstrate the ability to construct a Problem List

 * Problem
 * A problem can be a Symptom, sign, diagnostic test abnormality, diagnosis.
 * Problems should be named to the highest level of specificity that an examiner is comfortable with


 * A novice may describe the clinical findings of someone with pnemonia (SOB, auscultation crackles, etc) while a more experienced clinician will present the diagnosis.