Application of the Case Study Method in the Teaching of Clinical Disciplines under the Conditions of Distance Education
Authors:   Bukovinian State Medical University, Department of Internal Medicine, Clinical Pharmacology and Occupational Disease. 255-A, Russka St., apt. 100, Chernivtsi 58023, Ukraine, Reva T. V. , Reva V. B. , Trefanenko I. V. , Shuper V. O. , Shumko G. I. 
Published: December 2022

The purpose of the study was to determine the feasibility of using the Case study method in teaching clinical disciplines to students of a medical university, its advantages, problems and the value of using it in an online format. Results and discussion. Studying in medical higher education institutions has always been quite challenging and requires the involvement of various student reserves. The COVID-19 pandemic and martial law in Ukraine has brought many changes to the life of society in general and the educational process in particular. Medical students lost the opportunity to gain clinical experience, as the entire educational process was transferred to an online format. The Case study method in teaching clinical disciplines has become extremely effective in this situation. The Case study method or method of situational exercises makes it possible to bring the learning process closer to the real practical activities of specialists. The Case study method is based on the concept of developing mental abilities. The essence of the method is the use of specific cases (clinical situations, disease histories, the texts of which are called “cases”) for joint analysis, discussion or decision-making by students from a certain section of training in the discipline “Internal Medicine” or “Surgery”. The value of the Case study method lies in the fact that it simultaneously reflects not only a practical problem, but also actualizes a certain set of knowledge that must be mastered when solving this problem, and also successfully combines educational and analytical activities. The educational tasks of the Case study method consist in acquiring the skills of using theoretical material to analyze practical problems; in the formation of skills for assessing the situation, choosing and organizing the search for basic information for formulating a clinical diagnosis; in the development of the ability to formulate questions and requests; in the development of skills to develop multivariate approaches to the implementation of an action plan for diagnosis and treatment; in the formation of the ability to independently make decisions in conditions of uncertainty; forecasting ways of development of clinical situations. For the effective use of the Case study method, it is necessary to create special conditions: ensuring a sufficiently high complexity of the clinical problem that students need to solve; creation by the teacher of a logical series of questions that motivate students to search for the truth; creation of an atmosphere of psychological comfort in the classroom, which should facilitate students' free expression of their thoughts without fear of making mistakes; devoting special time to thinking about ways to solve the problem. A student who is preparing to discuss a case in the classroom must study the facts, draw conclusions from these facts, evaluate alternatives for actions in a given situation and make a choice in favor of one or another plan of action. Conclusion. Changes in life in the modern world also require changes in the purpose of modern education. The value of the Case study method is that it simultaneously reflects not only a practical problem, but also actualizes a certain set of knowledge that must be mastered when solving this problem