'Condition diagramming': a new approach to teaching clinical integration

Integration of clinical material appears to involve three major steps: identification of the pertinent information; organization of that information in some logical sequence; and determination of its meaning to specific applications. The concept of 'Condition Diagramming' has been developed to help students to integrate the large volumes of clinical data that they are expected to learn. It utilizes a defined format to establish what information is needed and where it fits in relation to the patient's current status. Data organized in this manner may be easier to comprehend and use in medical decision-making. Several potential applications of this approach are presented.