The value of basic science in clinical diagnosis.
BACKGROUND
The role of basic science knowledge in clinical diagnosis is unclear. There has been no experimental demonstration of its value in helping students recall and organize clinical information. This study examines how causal knowledge may lead to better recall and diagnostic skill over time.


METHODS
Undergraduate medical students learned either four neurological or rheumatic disorders. One group learned a basic science explanation for the symptoms. The other learned epidemiological information. Both were then tested with the same set of clinical cases immediately after learning and one week later.


RESULTS
On immediate test, there was no difference in accuracy (70% for both groups). However, one week later, performance in the epidemiology group dropped to 51%; the basic science group only dropped to 62%.


CONCLUSIONS
Basic science knowledge relating causal knowledge to disease symptoms can improve diagnostic accuracy after a delay.
Woods
Nicole N
NN
University of Toronto, Wilson Centre, 200 Elizabeth Street, Eaton South 1-565, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5G 2C4. nikki.woods@utoronto.ca
Neville
Alan J
AJ
Levinson
Anthony J
AJ
Howey
Elizabeth H A
EH
Oczkowski
Wieslaw J
WJ
Norman
Geoffrey R
GR
D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D011939:Mental Recall; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012216:Rheumatic Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*