University at Buffalo School of Medicine Case Study
Find out why 94% of students felt more confident in their history-taking skills after engaging with DDx.
Overview
Third-year medical students build clinical confidence through AI-enabled case learning
The University at Buffalo sought a structured approach to case-based learning that would help third-year students build clinical skills before beginning their clerkships. With 206 students in the cohort, faculty needed a solution that allowed learners to practice clinical reasoning in a low-stakes setting while remaining interactive, easy to implement, and scalable across the entire class — without the logistical challenges of traditional simulation.
Overview
The challenge
Students need more than textbooks to enter clerkships ready
The program sought a scalable case-based learning solution that would allow third-year medical students to practice history-taking and clinical decision-making in realistic patient encounters before beginning their clerkships.
The University at Buffalo sought a structured approach to case-based learning that would give third-year students a meaningful clinical skills experience before entering their clerkships. With 206 students in the cohort, the program needed a solution that allowed students to practice clinical skills in a low-stakes setting, offered interactive and easily implemented learning, and could scale to the full class without the logistical burdens of traditional simulation.
The solution
Why DDx by Sketchy?
Deployed a single ACS DDx case during MS3 orientation week; Students practiced history-taking, physical exam reasoning, and clinical decision-making in an interactive, AI-driven format; Real-time feedback provided immediate guidance at each stage of the patient encounter; Faculty gained insight into cohort-wide clinical reasoning performance
DDx gave the UB cohort 1,166 opportunities to engage with AI-driven patients, physicians, and nursing staff — building the clinical communication and reasoning skills that define effective clerkship performance. Each student worked through the ACS case independently, receiving real-time attending-level guidance and feedback at every step of the encounter.
How did DDx by Sketchy fit?
DDx by Sketchy was incorporated into third-year clerkship orientation as an interactive case-based learning activity. During orientation week, 206 medical students completed an Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS) case designed to align with their clinical curriculum. Carefully written and peer-reviewed by clinical experts, the case allowed students to engage with a realisticpatientscenrio while practicing clinical reasoning and decision-making. Throughout the experience, DDx provided real-time feedback and guidance to help students navigate the patient encounter and strengthen their diagnostic thinking.
Cases Included:
- Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS)
Students engaged with DDx cases as part of their coursework, using the platform to practice:
- Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS)
The results
94% of students left more confident in history-taking
Testimonials
What did students and faculty say?
A proven tool for clerkship readiness
The University at Buffalo pilot demonstrated the transformative potential of AI-driven case-based learning in bridging the gap between foundational knowledge and clinical application. By providing an engaging, scalable, and interactive experience, DDx effectively enhanced students' clinical reasoning and history-taking skills while building confidence in a low-pressure environment — before students stepped into their clerkship rotations.
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