- Indian Rheumatology association
The CPCs were first introduced in the USA at Harvard Medical School in Boston, Massachusetts. The concept was pioneered by Walter B. Cannon, a renowned Professor of Physiology. In 1898, while Cannon was a 4th-year medical student, he shared a room with a 2nd-year law student at Harvard Law School and was fascinated by the case history method used in teaching law. Inspired by this method, Cannon proposed in 1900 in the Boston Medical and Surgical Journal (a precursor to the NEJM) to switch from the benumbing process of continuous lectures to adopting a similar case history approach for medical education.
CPCs are fascinating for several reasons. It’s unscripted with the presenter (clinician) as the hero and the pathologist as protagonist. Audiences are glued to the storytelling like readers engrossed in a gripping mystery novel, eager to uncover the next clue.
CPCs provide a unique opportunity for medical professionals to translate theoretical knowledge into practical application, enabling them to activate their cerebral lobes and delve deeper into the complexities of diagnostic reasoning and hone their clinical problem-solving skills in a real-world setting. Given the ever-decreasing attention span of Gen Z, CPCs provide an effective way to capture and maintain their imagination and focus.
The thrill of the unknown and the intellectual puzzle-solving aspect of CPCs captivate medical professionals, much like the allure of cracking a complex case in a Sherlock Holmes whodunnit.
Unfortunately, CPCs are on a decline. With increasing advancement of diagnostic technologies, the analytical mind has taken a backseat! While artificial intelligence (AI) promises to enhance precision medicine, it also diminishes the art of engaging in diagnosis and solving medical mysteries. The hard drives of our analytical minds are being replaced by the RAM of AI. In a small informal survey done by us, 28/56 had either no CPC program or were unsure. Most had one CPC per month.
However, in the recent past few years, there is a shift to more interactive learning as NMC tries to improve teaching and learning methods (TLMs) in India.
For a “series” or “movie” to be a hit, it requires a good script, and a good director (leader). Challenge starts with identification of a case that should be complex but educational and engaging. Often the presenter or the uninitiated mistakes CPCs as a platform for exceptionally rare cases. The implementation of CPCs requires a significant investment of time, resources, and collaboration, which can be a challenge with an already strained teacher-to-student ratio.
In a world where information is readily available online, CPCs must be transformed into an engaging, and audience-centric experience with equal focus on history, signs, investigations and discussion. To maximise the effectiveness of CPCs, I suggest we move away from recording sessions and instead emphasise the value of in-person attendance, which fosters a more immersive and engaging experience.
To revive the rich tradition of CPCs, the National Medical Commission (NMC) should integrate CPCs into the core curriculum of medical institutions, making them a mandatory component of residents’ logbooks. By leveraging the power of accountability, CPCs will become a self-sustaining practice, as students would enjoy the intricacies and flavour of dissecting and analysing the case much like Sherlock Holmes.
