The case report must represent your critical thinking and ability to apply the principles of functional medicine to the benefit of your patient. Candidates are expected to justify and explain their rationales for treatments and interventions throughout the case. You must have sufficient initial assessment information to fill out a Timeline and Matrix, and enough follow-up data that the grader can see how you managed the patient. As such, the case you choose should be a patient: 

1. Who has/had chronic complaints 
2. With whom you are very familiar (You may NOT use yourself or a family member as your case study. Patient encounters must be conducted and documented within a clinical setting.) 
3. On whom you have gathered sufficient initial information 
4. For whom you have collected sufficient information on follow-up visits to present a full case 

A minimum of 4 visits over at least 12 weeks is required. Cases that do not meet minimum visit and length requirements will receive an automatic failure. Objective data, such as laboratory and imaging results, are helpful, but not absolutely necessary. However, the potential lab or imaging that you would consider, even if not ordered, is important to provide as it allows the grader to assess your thinking through the case. A case in which you co-managed the patient can be used, but your narrative should include these interventions and outcomes as well. 

You do not have to have a release from the patient to use the patient’s case. Avoid revealing any identifying information about the patient in your report.