Introduction/ Background:
Integrating broader veterinary curriculum into clinical-communication training can be challenging.  This challenge exists particularly in early phases of veterinary curriculum when students often lack medical knowledge needed to clinically reason or medically problem-solve in the immediate moment of a simulated-client interaction.     

Objectives:
This presentation describes online case-based scenarios being collaboratively developed between content-experts and communication faculty to integrate clinical reasoning and medical problem-solving in to clinical communication training.

Methods:
The approach involves a series of interactive online case-based tutorials designed to walk early phase veterinary students through the content and diagnostic process of common primary care clinical cases (e.g., heartworm positive canine) in preparation for corresponding simulated-client interactions.  Following the case-based tutorial, students participate in simulated-client interactions purposefully designed to integrate the content of the respective online case-based scenario with the development of their clinical communication process skills. 

Findings:
A pilot with 12 students received positive feedback.  Example student feedback: “This is a very valuable transition case from the obviously artificial case in the previous year toward a more clinically real setting. Additionally, it provided an opportunity to learn a bit more about the medicine side as I needed to not only regurgitate the information like I would on an exam but help a lay person come to understand what I was saying, why it was important and what value it had in returning Alfie to health.”

Discussion: 
Results informed ongoing development of several dynamic online case-based scenarios to support integration of clinical reasoning and medical problem solving in to clinical communication training. 



Authors:
*Coe, Jason1, Winhall, Martha1, Khosa, Deep1, Defarges, Alice2
1. Department of Population Medicine, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Canada
2. Department of Clinical Studies, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph , Guelph, Canada