Through the didactic semester I’ve felt gradually more comfortable with the complex topics we must know well as healthcare providers. With a stronger foundation I’m now able to discern what information is immediately pertinent in relation to a particular case. Over time I have established a set of reliable online resources and continue to become familiar with how to use them wisely. We all have our own methods for processing this information, and I found myself presenting the info in a fairly conversational and possibly “laid back” manner, which has it’s own benefits, while now I like to hone my presentations to a more concise and professional tone. By making sure to listen well and reflect on case details and/or fellow student presentations, these semesters of clinical correlations have helped me to collaborate well with peers on a case. There is plenty room for improvement, considering my communication felt a bit stifled at times, however by the end of didactic I was pleased with the amount I was able to contribute to the group’s work.

Clinical Correlations has been a class that I especially looked forward to each week.  With the amount of studying involved in the didactic semesters, these sessions offered us a chance to put the information into practice and I suspect this had a profound effect on our morale.  While the difficulties of developing a differential and recalling signs and symptoms can be daunting, it’s encouraging to be able to apply this knowledge.  Personally, I feel that these skills have improved greatly up to this point.  While I still need a lot of practice, the process and framework of how to go about developing differentials and choosing appropriate courses of action has been fortified and that’s the foundation I hope to build on as we begin clinical rotations.