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The Role of Intuitive Thinking in the Diagnostic Process
Robert M. Peters, MD, MBA
Arch Fam Med. 1995;4(11):939-941.
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| Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text PDF and any section headings. |
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IN THE process of medical diagnosis, clinicians appear to use a combination of analytical, logical, left-brain reasoning with less clearly defined intuitive, judgmental, nonlinear, right-brain processes. This article reviews several studies of physicians and of experts in other fields regarding the role of intuitive thinking and its relationship to analysis in the problem-solving process. Intuitive right-brain processes are often used by clinicians in the diagnostic process, can improve the quality of medical diagnoses, and are often preferred for complex clinical problems.
On the surface, the process of medical diagnosis appears to be an exercise in logical analytical thinking. The physician collects historical data from the patient, adds information from the physical examination, formulates a set of likely possibilities, and then orders tests to narrow the field to one conclusive diagnosis. Given the necessary knowledge of diseases, the emphasis in this process is on the linear stepwise progression of ruling in or
. . . [Full Text PDF of this Article]
Author Affiliations
North Shore University Hospital Manhasset, NY
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