FOCUS QUESTION
How does a clinician reason from assessment to evaluation?
The map breaks this topic into its core concepts, connected by labeled relationships. Each link is written so it can be read as a complete statement — not just an unlabeled line between boxes.
Concepts and relationships
- Clinical Reasoning begins with Assessment.
- Assessment guides Data Collection.
- Data Collection informs Hypothesis.
- Hypothesis leads to Diagnosis.
- Diagnosis directs Plan.
- Plan followed by Evaluation.
- Evaluation loops back to Assessment.
How to read this map
Follow the cycle from assessment through hypothesis and diagnosis to a plan, then evaluation that loops back to reassessment.
Learning objectives
- Order the steps of clinical reasoning.
- Explain how data informs hypotheses.
- Describe why the process is cyclical.
- Apply the cycle to a case.
Review standard: Steps reflect widely taught clinical-reasoning frameworks and are reviewed against established sources. Sources: Standard clinical-reasoning teaching frameworks.