In the gigantic world of medicine, the ability to retrieve a list of differential diagnoses from your brain for any presenting complaint, symptom, clinical sign, lab or imaging finding is a key that unlocks the right doors and guides you faster through the maze of clinical possibilities. It is a currency 💰 that buys you the right clinical questions to ask during H & P, the right tests to order to prove or disprove a clinical possibility or complications.
On the flip side, be aware that what you know can bias you from the limits of what you know. Like they say, if all you have is a hammer, everything is a nail. So keep that mind open, unique cases that you will encounter and published case-reports open up our mind to more possibilities – Keep expanding your data-set of differentials.
I can’t stress this enough: Do what’s needed to master differential diagnoses, and slay your work day! – mnemonics, visuals, brain maps, short-hand notes, etc. are some ways.
