WSU CVM Diagnostic Challenge

WSU CVM Diagnostic Challenge The Diagnostic Challenges are multidisciplinary, case-based exercises that began at WSU in 1991 to help students learn in a simulated "real world" setting.

The College of Veterinary Medicine Diagnostic Challenges are multidisciplinary, case-based exercises that were initiated at Washington State University (WSU) in 1991. The exercises are now conducted collaboratively by instructors in Pathology, Clinical Pathology, Bacteriology/Mycology, Virology, Immunology and Toxicology. Visiting veterinarians, mostly WSU CVM alumni, play an increasingly importa

nt role as case facilitators. In addition, important contributions are made by faculty and staff in Radiology, Large and Small Animal Medicine, WSU's Animal Health Library, The CVM Office of Student Services and BCU.

🐾 Happy National Dog Day! 🐾Today is all about celebrating our four-legged friends who make life a little happier (and a ...
08/26/2026

🐾 Happy National Dog Day! 🐾

Today is all about celebrating our four-legged friends who make life a little happier (and a lot furrier!). ❤️🐶

We know the DC community has some pretty amazing dogs, and we want to see them!

📸 Share a photo of your favorite pup in the comments and help us fill our feed with some National Dog Day cuteness!

Bonus points for any past or present DC “patients.” 😉

🎉 Welcome back, Cougs!A new semester is here, and the Diagnostic Challenge team is excited to have our students back on ...
08/24/2026

🎉 Welcome back, Cougs!

A new semester is here, and the Diagnostic Challenge team is excited to have our students back on campus!

Whether you're starting a new year, tackling new challenges, or getting one semester closer to that DVM, we hope this is your greatest semester yet. ❤️🐾

We’re especially excited for everything ahead in DC this fall. Let the countdown begin!

🐾💡 Did You Know?You don’t have to be an experienced educator to become a Diagnostic Challenge facilitator!Whenever possi...
08/21/2026

🐾💡 Did You Know?

You don’t have to be an experienced educator to become a Diagnostic Challenge facilitator!

Whenever possible, newer facilitators are paired with experienced DC facilitators. This gives them someone to collaborate with, ask questions, and learn from as they become familiar with the program, all while bringing their own clinical experience and perspective to the team.

It’s one of the ways we support our facilitators while building a strong community of veterinarians committed to helping the next generation learn. 💙

Interested in becoming a DC facilitator? Send us a message; we’d love to tell you more!

08/19/2026

🩺✨ Behind the Case

In veterinary medicine, the answer rarely comes from just one piece of information.

For rising third-year student Bailey Tellinghuisen, developing a Diagnostic Challenge case means considering how students will integrate the full clinical picture, from the patient’s history and physical exam to diagnostic test results.

The goal is to challenge students to look beyond a single finding, make connections between the information they gather, and use their clinical reasoning to determine what it all means for their patient.

💙 Thank you, Bailey, for the thought, creativity, and hard work you’re putting into creating a meaningful challenge for next year’s DC students!

08/17/2026

🐾✨ Behind the Case

Sometimes a great DC case starts with a simple question: How would what we learned in class play out in real life?

For rising third-year student Elora Stagliano, something she learned in veterinary school inspired a new DC case. Now, she and her fellow case developer are taking that knowledge beyond the classroom and turning it into a realistic clinical challenge for next year’s students.

And there’s another layer to the experience—the process of building the case is challenging the case developers, too! They have to think through the different decisions students might make, anticipate possible paths through the case, and consider how classroom knowledge translates into clinical practice.

💙 Thank you, Elora, for the creativity, curiosity, and hard work you’re bringing to this year’s case development team!

💬🐾 Did You Know?In the Diagnostic Challenge, a good client conversation can uncover just as much as a diagnostic test.St...
08/14/2026

💬🐾 Did You Know?

In the Diagnostic Challenge, a good client conversation can uncover just as much as a diagnostic test.

Students have to decide what questions to ask, listen carefully to their client’s responses, and determine what information might be important to their case. How they communicate can shape what they learn and what they decide to do next.

It’s an important reminder that veterinary medicine isn’t only about caring for the patient. Building trust and communicating effectively with the person on the other end of the leash matters, too. 🩺

🐾✨ Behind the Case: Passing the Experience ForwardFor Emily Shrock, a passion for exotic animal medicine started long be...
08/12/2026

🐾✨ Behind the Case: Passing the Experience Forward

For Emily Shrock, a passion for exotic animal medicine started long before veterinary school.

When Emily participated in the Diagnostic Challenge as a student, she had the opportunity to work through an exotic case that directly connected with that passion. Now, as a student case developer, she gets to bring that experience full circle by helping create a new exotics case for the students who follow her.

Her hope? That the experience will spark creativity, build confidence, and perhaps help another student make an important connection to the field of exotic animal medicine. 🐍🐰🦎

💙 Thank you, Emily, for turning an experience that was meaningful to you into an opportunity for the next generation of DC students!

🐾🦎 Behind the CaseThis summer’s case developers are bringing something new to the Diagnostic Challenge!Rising third-year...
08/10/2026

🐾🦎 Behind the Case

This summer’s case developers are bringing something new to the Diagnostic Challenge!

Rising third-year student Emily Shrock is helping develop a case featuring a species that has never been part of DC before. By stepping outside the more traditional veterinary species, the case will challenge students to think differently, work together, and navigate some of the unique considerations that come with exotic animal medicine.

And that’s part of the fun of DC - you never know what might walk, fly, crawl, or slither into your clinic! 👀

💙 A huge thank you to Emily for bringing her creativity, enthusiasm, and interest in exotic species to this year’s case development team.

🧠🐾 **Fun Fact Friday**One of the most valuable lessons students learn during the Diagnostic Challenge is that changing y...
08/07/2026

🧠🐾 **Fun Fact Friday**

One of the most valuable lessons students learn during the Diagnostic Challenge is that changing your mind isn't a mistake - it's part of good clinical reasoning.

As new information becomes available, students reassess their thinking, adjust their diagnostic plans, and refine their recommendations. It's the same process veterinarians use every day to provide the best possible care for their patients.

DC helps students build the confidence to think critically, stay curious, and adapt as they learn.

🐱🔬 Behind the CaseDeveloping a Diagnostic Challenge case is about more than writing a patient story, it's about thinking...
08/05/2026

🐱🔬 Behind the Case

Developing a Diagnostic Challenge case is about more than writing a patient story, it's about thinking through the many ways a clinician might approach a problem.

As student case developers explore different diagnostic options, they begin to appreciate how each test can provide valuable information and influence clinical decision-making. That process helps them design cases that encourage critical thinking rather than a single "right" approach.

By the time these cases reach next year's students, they've been carefully crafted to reflect the complexity of real veterinary practice.

💙 Thank you to Apryl Buffington for the thought, curiosity, and dedication you're bringing to this year's case development process!

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