Making Case Discussions Work

Abstract

Case discussions are one of the most common teaching-learning activities being utilized in the education of health professionals. Despite this fact, many teachers are still not equipped with the proper skills needed in the conduct of successful case discussions. They still have uncertainties on how to go about preparing for and conducting case discussions with their students. This article hopes to provide readers with an understanding of the basic concepts related to case discussion, and provide practical tips on how to conduct case discussions useful for both the health professions educators and students. The advantages of case discussions in the development of critical thinking, reasoning, and decision-making, and its versatility of application, whether in small or large group settings, classroom or clinical settings, and for varying levels of students, make it a very viable teaching-learning activity in the unstructured environment of health professionals. Seven practical tips for teachers are given to help in the preparation, planning, and conduct of case discussions. It also emphasizes the role of teacher as participant, guide, and evaluator during case discussions.