title: [Systematic teaching of differential diagnostics and information retrieval in medical education--a controlled study].
abstract: Teaching of differential diagnostic skills in medical education is often nonsystematic and touched only in a disease-based manner in the context of patient cases. We conducted a controlled study, in which a portion of fifth year students received systematic teaching of differential diagnostics and information retrieval for a period of ten weeks, whereas another portion continued in conventional basic training. We tested the students' problem-solving skills in both groups with a computer-assisted test. Students in the intervention group were more successful in the test and settled on the correct diagnosis more often than students in the control group.
authors.affiliation: Oulun yliopisto, lastentautien klinikka, PL 5000, 90014 Oulu.
authors.forename: Marjo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Renko
authors.forename: Hannu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Soini
authors.forename: Heikki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Rantala
authors.forename: Terhi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tapiainen
authors.forename: Tytti
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Pokka
authors.forename: Matti
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Uhari
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003194:Computer-Assisted Instruction; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate; D006801:Humans; D011340:Problem Solving; D013663:Teaching / Q000379:methods*