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The support of the Scottish Funding Council is vital to our work to inspire and share knowledge with audiences, local communities, and future generations.
Diagnose this! Think like a doctor
When
Saturday 12 September 2026
16:00 - 17:30
Where
The Royal Society of Edinburgh
22-26 George St, Edinburgh EH2 2PQ
View directions on Google Maps
Format
In-person
Access
Wheelchair access, Wheelchair accessible toilets
Age
Suitable for ages 16+
Cost
Free to book
About this event
Can you use problem-solving, reflection and team work to figure out a diagnosis like a doctor?
Ever wondered how doctors figure out what might be causing a patient’s symptoms?
In this interactive workshop, you’ll step into the role of a clinician and tackle a series of medical mystery challenges. Working in small groups, you’ll examine clues, discuss possibilities and decide what information you need to solve the case.
You’ll experience first-hand how doctors use observation, reasoning and teamwork to make decisions, while navigating uncertainty and avoiding common thinking traps. No medical knowledge is required, just bring your curiosity and a willingness to explore different ideas.
Through discussion, reflection and problem-solving, you’ll discover that diagnosis is rarely as straightforward as it appears in television dramas. By the end of the session, you’ll have a greater understanding of how healthcare professionals think, make decisions and work collaboratively to provide safe and effective patient care.
Event content warning
This event explores clinical reasoning and diagnostic thinking for educational purposes only. It does not provide medical advice, healthcare training or guidance for personal health concerns.
The workshop includes discussion of fictional health-related scenarios and medical decision-making.
No graphic descriptions, distressing imagery or detailed discussion of serious illness will be used. Some attendees may nevertheless find healthcare-related topics personally relevant due to their own experiences of illness or diagnosis.
Event type
Curious
Workshop
Contributors
Dr Panna Muqit MMedEd, FRCGP, FHEA
Clinical Senior Lecturer, Universities of St Andrews and Dundee; CLIC Lead, ScotGEM; MBChB Phase One Placement Lead, University of St AndrewsDr Panna Muqit is a medical educator and GP, and Clinical Senior Lecturer at the Universities of St Andrews and Dundee. She is the Clinical Interactions Course (CLIC) Lead for the ScotGEM graduate-entry medical programme and serves as MBChB Phase One Placement Lead at the University of St Andrews. Her work focuses on helping future doctors develop clinical reasoning, communication skills and professional judgement in real-world healthcare settings. Alongside her educational leadership roles, she is a member of the Young Academy of Scotland and is passionate about making medical thinking more accessible to the public. Through teaching, public engagement and collaborative learning, she aims to demystify how clinicians make decisions, manage uncertainty and work with patients to navigate complex healthcare problems.
Contact us
If you have an event enquiry, please email us on public_engagement@theRSE.org.uk.Event testimonial
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What is Curious?
Curious is the Royal Society of Edinburgh’s (RSE) free festival that celebrates the research, ideas and knowledge shaping society today.
Each year, Curious brings a packed programme of free in-person and online events covering themes from the arts, humanities, policy, science and more. To date, we’ve welcomed over 10,000 attendees for talks, workshops, exhibitions and discussions where you can learn from and speak with Scotland’s leading thinkers. As part of the RSE’s mission to make knowledge useful and accessible for everyone, Curious is open to anyone who wants to learn more about the world around them. No specialist knowledge is needed, just bring your curiosity.
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