GUIDELINES FOR DISCUSSING THE CPC

• Begin with a succinct summary of the salient features of the case. Eliminate this step in your oral presentation if prior speakers have covered this well.
  
• Demonstrate your clinical reasoning by a scholarly differential diagnosis, following the format of the New England Journal of Medicine clinicopathologic conferences. As part of your discussion, you might consider both common and rare disorders that could produce the manifestations found in the protocol.
  
• As part of your discussion, highlight mechanisms of disease and pathogenesis, including basic science aspects of the relevant disorders.
  
• Note how the natural history of the disease you selected explains all the manifestations in the protocol.
  
• If there are unexplained manifestations, account for them with other reasonable explanations or as “red herrings.”
  
• Cite appropriate medical literature whenever possible.
  
• Identify the diagnostic procedure that you recommend be done to confirm your diagnosis.
  
• Describe the pathological findings you expect to be found.
  
• This is a teaching and learning exercise in which demonstrating your sophisticated, medically-logical thinking is much more important than the accuracy of your conclusion.