How to Use IACLE’s Case Reports
For example: A case report on miscellaneous conditions can be used in the following ways:
1. The first slide or slides explains the case history and the patient’s chief complaint(s)
2. Subsequent slides depict the condition in the form of an image and/or a video
3. At this point the student is encouraged to start thinking and correlate the history, chief complaint(s), and the clinical signs. The educator can prompt the student about a differential diagnosis if appropriate
4. The next slide poses a relevant question and offers a list of possible answers, i.e. it list various conditions that could lead to the clinical picture presented
5. The student selects the correct answer by clicking the button adjacent to their tentative response
6. If their response is incorrect, a detailed justification is given describing why their answer is incorrect. This helps the student understand subtle differences between conditions with similar manifestations. The student clicks the Return button (the only option offered to an incorrect response) which takes them back to the list of possible conditions (Stage #4 of this list)
7. If the correct answer is chosen, additional information is provided about the condition to enhance knowledge further. The student can then either press the Next button to advance to the next aspect of the presentation (further details of the same case or a new case altogether) or they can Return to the list of possible answers (#4 of this list) to explore the information pertaining to the incorrect answers before proceeding to the next stage of the case report
8. Some case reports are about one case only and go into some depth while others are a collection of miscellaneous cases that cover a broad range of topics
9. Case reports can be used for self-paced learning by an individual, can be used as the basis of a tutorial by an educator, can be used as a lead into a lecture on a related topic or can be used to assess knowledge imparted by a lecture at its completion
10. Although drafted in Powerpoint, the case reports are delivered as Flash files so that navigation is only possible by use of the buttons provided in each screen. This prevents the student from jumping to the correct answer or trawling through all answers without at least attempting to answer the question posed.