Unit 2.3 New to the Practice: New patient diagnostic workup: history, vitals, bloodwork, genetics, evidence synthesis.
What to do if absent- CER:
- Claim, Evidence, Reasoning — make a claim, back it with evidence, explain your reasoning.
- SOP:
- Standard Operating Procedure — the exact steps to follow (especially in a lab).
- Tracker:
- Your PLTW progress log where you record completed evidence.
- myPLTW:
- The PLTW course site where you do the online activities — you open it through Schoology.
Week overview - New to the Practice: building a new-patient diagnostic workup
Synthesize a patient chart, vitals, bloodwork, and genetic results into a differential diagnosis and a written recommendation for next steps.
- 1Read the patient chart and list the history details that could matter to a diagnosis.
- 2Record the vitals and laboratory test results in a single organized table.
- 3Write a differential diagnosis of two to three possible conditions that fit the evidence.
- 4For each possibility, note which evidence supports it and which evidence argues against it.
- 5Choose the most likely diagnosis and explain your evidence synthesis in two or three sentences.
- 6Write a clear recommendation for the next test or referral and why it is needed.
- • You will be able to organize patient-chart data into a usable evidence table.
- • You will be able to write a differential diagnosis with supporting and opposing evidence.
- • You will be able to defend one diagnosis and recommend an evidence-based next step.
Daily lessons this week
Open any day for its full lesson, the work due that day, and guided notes.
One-sentence written summary of the most persuasive counterpoint from the disclosure debate.
Annotated notes mapping each workup component to the clinical question it answers, with one example reference range per component.
Shared team evidence table with all four workup components, flagged out-of-range values, and a ranked differential diagnosis with the top candidate selected.
CER with a specific diagnostic claim, multi-source evidence from the workup, reasoning linking each evidence point to the claim, a next-steps recommendation, and one stated limitation.
Updated project tracker with unit status, confidence rating, and one reflective note, linked to the submitted evidence package.
Quick intro to the week
- Hook: a new patient walks in with no clear answer, and your job is to turn scattered data into a plan.
- Today's goal: practice evidence synthesis the way a real clinical team does, one chart at a time.
- Monday bioethics debate ties in: how certain should a clinician be before sharing a serious diagnosis?
- Reminder: your graded diagnostic workup and recommendation are submitted in the PLTW course shell.
Your PLTW coursework this week
Do this: Advance your PLTW PBS diagnostics benchmark by completing the new-patient workup and recommendation in the online course shell.
- • A differential diagnosis lists the conditions that could explain a patient's evidence.
- • Evidence synthesis weighs multiple data sources to reach a defensible conclusion.
- • Organize a patient chart and laboratory test results into a clear evidence table.
- • Write a recommendation that is justified by the strongest evidence.
📋 PLTW evidence due: the completed diagnostic workup and written recommendation in the course shell.
All PLTW activities are completed inside the PLTW course environment — this page only gives direction.
This week's PLTW tracker
Your week at a glance. Check off each deliverable as you finish it, then submit so Mr. Mendoza can see how the class is pacing.
Use the code Mr. Mendoza gave you, not your name. Saved on this device.
| Day | Date | Focus | Key deliverable |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | Wed, Oct 28 | Diagnostic disclosure debate | One-sentence written summary of the most persuasive counterpoint from the disclosure debate. |
| Tuesday | Thu, Oct 29 | Workup components notes | Annotated notes mapping each workup component to the clinical question it answers, with one example reference range per component. |
| Wednesday | Fri, Oct 30 | Clinical diagnosis team project | Shared team evidence table with all four workup components, flagged out-of-range values, and a ranked differential diagnosis with the top candidate selected. |
| Thursday | Wed, Nov 4 | Recommendation CER | CER with a specific diagnostic claim, multi-source evidence from the workup, reasoning linking each evidence point to the claim, a next-steps recommendation, and one stated limitation. |
| Friday | Thu, Nov 5 | Submit tracker and evidence | Updated project tracker with unit status, confidence rating, and one reflective note, linked to the submitted evidence package. |
- First class day: bioethical debate (Monday is a closure)
- T: teacher background notes + PLTW launch task
- W: lab / data or model work
- Th: analysis / CER or design revision
- F: submit tracker + weekly evidence
Due by week's end: Diagnostic workup packet.
What to do when absent
Most days, this class is your PLTW coursework — and PLTW is online and individual. So being out usually just means doing exactly what we did in class, from home.
Open Schoology (CMSD) and keep goingHow to get there: open the CMSD website, click Clever, sign in with your Microsoft (district) account, then open Schoology from Clever.
You can't do those from home — do this instead: Teacher-posted data/model packet, same objective. Supplemental: Khan: clinical data interpretation teacher-selected resources.
Class still runs. A substitute will post today's plan — complete the online activity above; it's built to be self-guided. Need the concept taught without a teacher? Use this authoritative explainer:
NIH MedlinePlus Lab TestsVocabulary
Virtual resources
Resources & readings
Hand-picked materials for this lesson. Class file items open the document directly; the rest are vetted readings and interactives from other biomedical programs.
Standards this week
WebXam practice
Drop your Week 10 here. Use a clear file name (your initials + project). Routine work still goes to Schoology (via the CMSD portal).
Upload a project