Case-Based Discussion (CbD)

When, and how many

Four in ST1 and four in ST2, spread through the year rather than clustered.

Choosing a case that will go well

• Pick a case where you actually had to decide something. A textbook presentation managed textbook-ly gives your supervisor nothing to explore.
• Cases with uncertainty, competing priorities or a decision you are not sure about produce the best discussions and the most useful feedback.
• Bring the record. Discussing a case from memory drifts towards how you wish it had gone.

What good looks like

• You can explain not just what you did but what else you considered and why you rejected it.
• You are honest about the parts you found difficult.
• The feedback names something specific you will do differently.

What commonly trips people up

• Choosing only cases that went well, which produces bland feedback and a thin evidence trail.
• Treating it as a viva. It is a discussion, and saying “I did not know, so I looked it up and here is what I found” is a strong answer.
• Leaving all four to the final six weeks of the year.