Introducing problem-based learning in a medical school with traditional/conventional curriculum.

Full Abstract

BACKGROUND:
Globally, over the last two decades, medical education and its learning strategies are being made more prone to problem-solving in order to produce better clinicians. The medical curriculum has not changed in Pakistan since its inception and that is reflected in the form of inadequacies in health delivery system. There is a dire need of creating relevance between medical education/training and medical practice in order to introduce an effective health care system.

OBJECTIVE:
This study is particularly aimed at evaluating the effect of problem-based learning (PBL) in a group of students accustomed to conventional teaching and to assess any change in students attitudes/learning abilities after repeated PBL interventions.

DESIGN:
An interventional study.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS:
Response of 32 students of fourth year MBBS of Karachi Medical and Dental College was recorded against two PBL exercises in September 2002.

RESULTS:
A significant change in the study trend and analytical ability (p < 003) was shown in the two PBL sessions. The students who liked PBL were 33% more prone to practice group-study (OR = 1.33 and 95% CI=1.28, 1.39) than those who preferred other modalities of teaching. The final professional grades of these students were significantly higher than those in the previous years (p < 0.000).

CONCLUSION:
A strong association between liking for PBL and group study was found and the analytical performance and thought process of students were significantly improved after the second PBL session.

Learn Faster Today Improve your study skills

Author information

Author/s: Baig, Lubna A (LA); Asad, Farah (F);

Affiliation: Department of Community Health Sciences, Karachi Medical and Dental College, North Nazimabad, Karachi.

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article

Journal: Journal of the College of Physicians and Surgeons--Pakistan : JCPSP (J Coll Physicians Surg Pak), published in Pakistan. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2003-Jul; vol 13 (issue 7) : pp 378-81

Dates: Created 2003/07/30; Completed 2003/10/10; Revised 2004/11/17;

PMID: 12887836, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 11/6/2008)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

External Links for this article (including full text providers, if available):

Click Electronic Full-text Provider Links to see options for finding the electronic full text links to this article. Note there may be a subscription or fee required for access to the full text. See our FAQ for information on finding FREE full text articles.

This article may also be located in paper journal collections available in many libraries. Use the Journal and Publication Information above to find the full article.

MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

This article has not been indexed for related articles as yet, however you can still use the live related article search links below.

See 100+ related articles.