Content & Focus – I believe that in person clinical correlation classes strengthened my understanding of the patient cases presented. For my presentations, I became more familiar with using UptoDate and turned towards multiple sources (such as our textbooks, Pance Prep Pearls, and D/Dx on Access Medicine) to ensure that the most relevant information was provided in the class. As a result, I became much more familiar with the landscape of resources available in the medical field to research relevant and peer-reviewed information. Over time, I also noticed how I was able to pull materials learned from previous classes to better interpret the patient case presented.

Logic & Flow Weight – My presentations became more succinct and I became a stronger student in assessing what is most crucial to present to my fellow classmates. In our second semester of clinical correlations, we utilized a timer and focused more on oral rather than powerpoint presentations. Furthermore, I could anticipate that the attention span of the room was maximized in the first five minutes of a presentation. This forced me to only focus on imperative points of our research topics and teach in a comprehensible manner to my peers. 

Analysis – Developing a list of differential diagnoses felt much less foreign by the end of our second semester of clinical correlations. With repetition, this type of thought process became faster. Although my contributions were not necessarily always correct, I felt more confident in thinking of alternative disease states that may cause the patient’s presentation. With practice, I hope to continue in sharpen my skills in developing a differential diagnosis and final diagnosis with greater efficiency and accuracy. 

Communication/Collaboration – Compared to my first semester of clinical correlations, I felt more confident in participating during class. As mentioned prior, the method of developing a differential diagnosis was unfamiliar to me at the very start. I became more proficient in generating a list of possible disease states and thus, was able to contribute more in class. Furthermore, I believe the transition from online to in person helped tremendously in communication. There is a greater sense non-verbal cues and presence that facilitated the act of bouncing off ideas and collaborating with my fellow peers.