Learning decision-making in clinical medicine: a card game dealing with acute emergencies for undergraduate use

A card game concerning the assessment and management of patients involved in medical emergencies was constructed for use by medical students who were beginning Year 3 of a 5-year curriculum. Particular emphasis was place on the identification by the student of priorities for action and the justification for decisions made on the basis of underlying mechanisms. Our aim was to help the student sharpen his problem-solving skills in situations where decisions may have to be made and interventions undertaken before information gathering is complete. The game is simple in construct and may be played by individuals or groups. It has a major advantage over other forms of problem presentation in that the student can select and document his own decision-making pathway with minimal cueing and he may compare his pathway with that of the experts at the end of the game. Students and tutors found this approach enjoyable and realistic and considered the game a useful tool in our problem solving curriculum.