First-year students’ perceptions of team-based learning in a new medical genetics course

Abstract

ABSTRACT Background Medical education has evolved considerably over the last few years, especially through adoption of new technologies and active methodologies. These methodologies aim to improve learning and engage students deeply in the process. TBL is a methodology widely used in health schools, including Medical Schools. We can use it to work with large groups, divided into small teams. The students first work individually, then within teams, and finally the groups cooperate to solve applied problems. Objectives To describe students’ perceptions and satisfaction about a Medical Genetics course organized into blocks of subject in which we used TBL sessions with first-year medical students. Methods A Medical Genetics course were organized into subject blocks in which a TBL session was conducted in each of these blocks to improve the learning process. At the end of the course, the students answered a questionnaire on satisfaction and perceptions. Results By the first time we described a Medical Genetics course organized into 5 blocks of subject matter on a total of 25 genetic diseases in which a TBL session was conducted in each of these blocks. We enrolled a total of 290 participants and 96% of the students were satisfied with TBL. Furthermore, 97% of students believe that TBL helped them to learn, and 87% approved of use of TBL in the future at other stages of their medical course. Conclusion Application of the TBL method during a medical genetics course was well-received by students and proved an important tool in the structures of curricula for medical education at this university.