Praxisfall

Praxisfall is a German term used in medical education to describe a clinical case drawn from day-to-day practice, used for teaching, discussion, and assessment. It can be real or hypothetical and is designed to illustrate typical or challenging clinical problems.

In medical education, Praxisfälle present a structured scenario including patient history, presenting symptoms, physical findings, relevant test results, and potential diagnoses. Students or trainees are asked to interpret information, develop differential diagnoses, order appropriate investigations, and propose management plans, while considering ethical and social factors.

The method supports active learning and clinical reasoning, often used in seminars, tutorials, problem-based learning sessions, and case discussions. It can also underpin examinations or quality improvement activities, including structured oral exams or viva voce anchored to a Praxisfall. Real-world practice reviews use Praxisfälle to analyze outcomes and improve care.

While most common in German-speaking medical education, Praxisfälle have parallels in case-based learning worldwide and may cover specialties such as internal medicine, surgery, pediatrics, and general practice. They emphasize integrative thinking beyond memorized facts.

In short, Praxisfall denotes a practical clinical scenario used to teach, assess, and improve medical decision-making based on real-world problems.