If your students are new to DDx, this quick-start guide is the perfect place to begin. It walks them through how to approach each case thoughtfully, think like a clinician, and build strong clinical reasoning habits from day one. Share this DDx student guide & FAQ with your learners as they begin exploring cases and strengthening their diagnostic skills.
Share the following section with your learners to help them get started.
Want to get the most out of DDx? Here are some quick tips to help you crush your cases and sharpen your clinical reasoning skills.
- Gather Before You Go → Once you move forward in a case, you can’t move back and continue the conversation!
- Take your time on each step of the case. There is no need to rush... this is practice!
- Write down or highlight key findings before advancing.
- Consider this as a real patient encounter. Use your valuable time with the patient to capture what they need to tell you!
- Think Like a Clinician
- Pretend you’re in the room: introduce yourself, gather info, think out loud.
- Organize your reasoning in a SOAP format (Subjective, Objective, Assessment, Plan).
- Spot the Clues
- Try to gather those red flag symptoms that can quickly rule things in or out. Identifying red flag symptoms will often help you obtain those key finding stars.
- Pay attention to labs and physical exam details — they’re there for a reason.
- Don't ignore “normal” findings — they’re just as helpful as abnormal ones!
- Build Your Differential Like a Pro
- As you gather information, try to come up with a list of at least 3 possible diagnoses
- Think across different systems! Don’t confine yourself to the one system identified in the chief complaint
- Ask yourself: What’s the most dangerous thing I don’t want to miss?
- Learn from Simulated Preceptor/Patient Feedback
- Pay close attention to the simulated preceptor and patient feedback — it’s like having a preceptor guide you in real time.
- Notice how your choices shape the case flow and the patient’s responses.
- Use the explanations to reflect: What did I miss? What did I do well? What would I do differently next time?
