ABOUT CLINICOPATHOLOGICAL CONFERENCE AND ITS PRACTICE IN THE SCHOOL OF MEDICAL SCIENCES, USM

Abstract

The clinicopathological conference, popularly known as CPC primarily relies on case method of teaching medicine. It is a teaching tool that illustrates the logical, measured consideration of a differential diagnosis used to evaluate patients. The process involves case presentation, diagnostic data, discussion of differential diagnosis, logically narrowing the list to few selected probable diagnoses and eventually reaching a final diagnosis and its brief discussion. The idea was first practiced in Boston, back in 1900 by a Harvard internist, Dr. Richard C. Cabot who practiced this as an informal discussion session in his private office. Dr. Cabot incepted this from a resident, who in turn had received the idea from a roommate, primarily a law student.