Clinical reasoning, problem representation and differential diagnosis

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Target exams

Red flags

• Premature closure on 'just viral' when must-not-miss diagnoses remain open
• Caregiver concern that the child is not themselves ignored in the problem representation
• Single normal vital sign, score or early test used to end a high-risk differential
• Return visit or night-time deterioration without rewriting the representation
• Handover that drops residual risks and next discriminating steps
• Safeguarding differentials closed by social stereotype or by forced medical labels

Life stages

Care settings

Clinical exam formats

Board mappings

• General and Community Paediatrics
• Current 2026 PREP curriculum — Learning Objective 2.2.1: Recognise, prioritise and manage an acutely ill infant, child or young person
• Renewed curriculum for first-year trainees from 2027 — Learning goal 5: Clinical assessment – essential general paediatrics
• Renewed curriculum for first-year trainees from 2027 — Learning goal 6: Clinical management – essential general paediatrics
• Renewed curriculum for first-year trainees from 2027 — Learning goal 12: Communication with patients, families, and health professionals
• Renewed curriculum for first-year trainees from 2027 — Learning goal 9: Clinical assessment and management – child safety and maltreatment
• Renewed curriculum for first-year trainees from 2027 — Learning goal 15: Essential general paediatrics
• Clinical Applications
• Medical Sciences
• Long Cases
• Short Cases
• 2. Professional skills and knowledge: Communication
• 4. Professional skills and knowledge: Patient management
• 7. Patient safety, including safe prescribing
• 9. Safeguarding vulnerable children
• General Paediatrics: Assumes the role of Acute Paediatric Team Leader, liaising with primary care services and other hospital and community specialist teams to effectively manage and coordinate patient flow, staffing, safety and quality in the paediatric acute assessment and inpatient units
• Foundation of Practice (FOP)
• Theory and Science (TAS)
• Applied Knowledge in Practice (AKP)
• Clinical
• History
• Communication
• Video
• General Pediatrics Content Outline — Domain 24: Patient Safety, Quality Improvement, and Research Methods
• General Pediatrics Content Outline — Universal Task 2: Epidemiology and Risk Assessment
• General Pediatrics Content Outline — Universal Task 3: Diagnosis
• General Pediatrics Content Outline — Universal Task 4: Management and Treatment
• General Pediatrics EPA 7: Recognizing a Severely Ill Patient, Providing Initial Management, and Mobilizing Resources Needed for Continued Care
• General Pediatrics EPA 8: Executing Clinical Handovers Within or Across Settings
• General Pediatrics EPA 10: Leading Interprofessional Teams to Provide Collaborative, Family-Centered Care
• Patient Care 3: Organize and Prioritize Patient Care
• Patient Care 4: Clinical Reasoning
• Patient Care 5: Patient Management
• Systems-Based Practice 1: Patient Safety
• Systems-Based Practice 4: System Navigation for Patient-Centered Care – Transitions in Care
• Interpersonal and Communication Skills 1: Patient- and Family-Centered Communication
• Interpersonal and Communication Skills 2: Interprofessional and Team Communication
• Medical Expert
• Pediatrics: Transition to Discipline EPA #1 — Performing and presenting a basic history and physical examination
• Pediatrics: Foundations EPA #1 — Recognizing deteriorating and/or critically ill patients and initiating stabilization and management
• Pediatrics: Foundations EPA #8 — Communicating assessment findings and management plans to patients and/or families
• Pediatrics: Foundations EPA #10 — Transferring clinical information between health care providers during handover
• Pediatrics: Core EPA #8 — Recognizing and managing suspected child maltreatment and/or neglect
• Pediatrics: Core EPA #10 — Leading discussions with patients, families and/or other health care professionals in emotionally charged situations