Student reflections as evidence of interactive clinical reasoning skills

A graduate level occupational therapy course in the experience of chronic illness is described for its unique method in helping students to broaden clinical reasoning skills. When students are faced with having to participate in a difficult situation with patients, they have the opportunity to discuss their own reactions, to understand better their own stressful experiences, and to more easily formulate questions for those who are chronically ill. Learning is facilitated through reading autopathographies; viewing videos of people dealing with illness, both sudden and gradual; participating in small group discussions, and writing reflective journals about the challenging community experience that is required of the course. The combination of methods serves to promote interactive clinical reasoning skills.