How to Use a Diagnosis Game With a Study Group

Choose one specialty and one case that nobody in the group has played. For remote groups, open a Dx Party room or have one facilitator share the clue while everyone records answers privately. For an in-person group, one phone or laptop is enough.

Assign three light roles: a facilitator to reveal clues, a recorder to capture the changing differential, and a skeptic to ask what evidence would change the group’s mind. Rotate the roles next time so no one becomes the permanent expert.

Show the first clue and give everyone 30 to 60 seconds to write a leading diagnosis plus one alternative. Private answers matter because the first confident speaker can otherwise pull the entire group toward the same hypothesis.

Collect the options without debating them. The facilitator should cluster similar answers and ask what single finding would most help separate the leading possibilities. That question gives the next clue a purpose.

Invite short cases for the leading options: “Which two findings support your diagnosis, and which finding is hardest to explain?” If two learners disagree, have each describe what they expect to see next. Avoid voting based on seniority or confidence.

Reveal another clue and let everyone update privately before the discussion resumes. Changing an answer is a success when new evidence warrants it. The recorder can draw arrows between diagnoses or tally how the ranking changes after each reveal.

After the answer, resist the urge to move immediately to another case. Ask two questions: “Which clue changed the ranking most?” and “Which plausible alternative did we fail to consider or dismiss too quickly?” Those prompts direct attention to the reasoning process.

End with one comparative learning point that the recorder can share with the group. If the case exposes a larger knowledge gap, assign one person to bring back a trusted reference at the next session instead of turning the final minutes into an improvised lecture.

A beginner group can use Easy mode, hide the choices at first, and reveal them only after everyone has generated an answer. An advanced group can require a one-sentence problem representation before any disease names are allowed. An interdisciplinary group can ask each profession which clue carries the most weight in its own scope and why.

For a friendly competition, award one point for the correct diagnosis and one point for the clearest evidence-based explanation. The second point prevents lucky guessing from dominating and rewards the behavior the group actually wants to practice.