A Clinician's Guide to Differential Diagnosis

Course Description:

Name some reasons that it is important for a clinician to have a good understanding of differential diagnosis…..ANNND GO!!

1. Direct Access
2. Early detection of conditions that mimic musculoskeletal conditions
3. Patients are discharged “quicker and sicker” from acute care
4. Patients may disclose information to their therapist which might have been unknown to the physician…..AND many more!

Let Dr. Rina Pandya help you feel more confident in your differential diagnosis skills. 

This is course 1. 
Course two is A Clinician’s Guide to Lower Extremity Differential Diagnosis, Pathologies and Special Tests. 
Course three is A Clinician’s Guide to Differential Diagnosis of the Neck and Shoulder.

In this course, Dr. Pandya will cover how:

• To apply the knowledge of differential diagnosis proficiently
• To analyze the need for differential diagnosis
• To understand critical thinking and problem solving for complex musculoskeletal diagnoses
• To utilize knowledge of systemic differential diagnosis in identifying red flags
• To be knowledgeable about guidelines for physician referral

Methods of Instruction:

Online audio/video course

Course Instructor:

Rina Pandya, PT, DPT

Target Audience:

Physical Therapists, Physical Therapist Assistants, Occupational Therapists, Occupational Therapist Assistants and Athletic Trainers.

Educational Level:

Intermediate

Prerequisites:

None

Course Goals and Objectives:

At the completion of this course, participants should be able to:

1. Identify potential reasons to screen for differential diagnoses
2. Differentiate between primary, secondary and tertiary diseases prevention
3. Differentiate between differential diagnosis versus screening and recognize the Goodman Screening model
4. Identify clients that need immediate medical attention
5. Identify guidelines for physician referral: general systemic, women’s health, vital signs, cancer, cardiac and pulmonary
6. Recognize precautions and contraindications to therapy
7. Differentiate between sources of pain
8. Identify the onset/description/intensity/duration/pattern/aggravating and relieving factor/associated signs & symptoms of Systemic Pain versus Musculoskeletal Pain
9. Identify examples/types of Pain: Tension, Inflammatory, Ischemic, Myofascial, Muscle Tension, Muscle Spasm, Trauma and Trigger Points
10. Identify the signs and symptoms of Rhabdomyolysis

Criteria for Obtaining Continuing Education Credits:

A score of 70% or greater on the post-test