Step 2. Describe the Patient and Develop Sufficient Case Detail The first part of a case description provides baseline information on the patient and moves the learner toward the first clinical decision point. Key baseline information may include age, sex, HIV infection status, reported symptoms at presentation, recent medical history, relevant social history, findings from physical examination, results of laboratory studies, and findings of diagnostic workup. The number of elements included in the case description depends on the complexity of the case and the information needed to stage the decision point. | Tip Box 2. Tips for Creating Effective Slides |
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 | Give each slide a title. Titles help the audience quickly understand the main theme |  | | Use as few words as possible to convey your point; help the audience focus on key points | | | Make your text large. Use titles with a minimum 36-point type size and text with a minimum 24-point type size. Do not use a slide that the audience cannot read | | | Use no more than eight words per line of text and no more than six lines of text on each slide | | | Minimize detail on tables and figures | | | Choose strong color contrast between the background and the text. Use light background color for a poorly lit room and dark background for a brightly lit room | | | Text drop shadows should be black or a darker shade of the background color | |
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In general, the information should be as brief as possible while providing enough detail for the learner to make an informed clinical decision. Slides 2 and 3 describe a patient's substance dependence, HIV status, and PCP treatment in brief but sufficient detail. The information provided is minimal but varied enough to support discussion of a number of common clinical issues, such as adherence to antiretroviral therapy in active substance users and potential drug-drug interactions between heroin or methadone and antiretroviral drugs.
It is important to provide enough information for the learners to make a decision. The patient description shown in Slide 4, if used alone, would not be sufficient to support a clinical decision point. Key information is missing, such as CD4+ cell count and viral load data, as well as any substance abuse or other health issues.
Next: Step 3. Focus the Learner on Discrete Clinical Decision Points | 
