Teaching Clinical Reasoning in the Preclinical Period.

This article focuses on the design and implementation of the Introduction to Clinical Reasoning (ICR) course at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU), which aims to develop clinical reasoning skills in preclinical medical students. The longitudinal course spans 15–16 months and integrates interactive lectures with 28 case-based small group sessions grounded in script theory, emphasizing diagnostic reasoning through problem lists, differential diagnoses, and summary statements. The curriculum employs diverse assessment methods, including faculty evaluations, multiple-choice and short-answer exams, and formative exercises, while leveraging clinical faculty, graduate medical education trainees, and senior medical students as facilitators. Feedback from students and faculty highlights the course's effectiveness and adaptability, with military-specific content integrated to support the professional identity of future military physicians. The course serves as a model for teaching clinical reasoning early in medical education without requiring extensive faculty training and can be adapted for various instructional settings.