Імплементація формату Clinical Case Discussion у ТНМУ

In June 2025, I. Horbachevsky Ternopil National Medical University held another round of Clinical Case Discussion (CCD) sessions — an interactive learning format widely used in leading European universities. This educational experience was adapted in cooperation with colleagues from Ludwig Maximilian University (LMU), Munich, Germany, within the DAAD project “Ukraine Digital: Clinical Reasoning in Medical Education.”

Three CCD sessions were successfully conducted on June 4, 11, and 18. Each became a platform for developing clinical reasoning, peer learning, and teamwork for more than 50 participating students.

The driving force behind the implementation of the CCD format at TNMU were students Ostap Kvasnitskyi (MM-305) and Mariia Malchevska (MM-419). In April, they were selected to participate in an online school organized by LMU experts. During the training, they mastered the principles of preparing and conducting CCD sessions and developed their own clinical cases. Their initiative was actively supported by TNMU intern physician Diana Haliash, who shared her valuable experience gained at the International Clinical Case Discussion Summer School (ICDSS) 2023.

A key feature of the CCD format is its student-led approach: students take responsibility for preparing clinical cases and facilitating the discussions. Real clinical histories published in the English Medical Journal are used as the basis for the cases.

Thanks to high engagement and professionalism, the CCD sessions in June 2025 were conducted excellently. They were successfully organized and facilitated by:

Ostap Kvasnitskyi with support from Diana Haliash

Illia Omelchuk with support from Mariia Malchevska

• Yaroslav Bilyk with support from Zhanna Kapushchak

Invaluable support was provided by clinical experts who deepened the discussions and contributed to the development of clinical thinking. We sincerely thank Associate Professors Nataliia Luchyshyn, Sofiia Lypovetska, Larysa Martyniuk, and Nataliia Haliash for helping students to:

recall key clinical criteria for neoplastic syndrome, infectious endocarditis, and renal failure;

understand the pathogenesis of diseases;

master the use of calculators for estimating glomerular filtration rate and assessing cardiovascular risks;

gain insight into the legal and financial aspects of professional safety for physicians.

All this confirms that the Clinical Case Discussion format, as a form of non-formal education, successfully complements academic training, creating a valuable space for deeper clinical understanding.

We are confident this is only the beginning. Ahead lie new cases, new discussions, and new professional horizons.