Integrating Disciplines for a Dynamic and Engaging Team Based Learning Session

Abstract

Team based learning (TBL) is a validated pedagogy for incorporating active learning into medical education. The University of Utah School of Medicine (UUSOM) implemented weekly TBL's into each pre‐clinical course in order to enhance the foundational sciences teaching and clinical content. Foundations of Medicine (FOM), the first semester course at UUSOM, is taught in an integrated fashion. As such, faculty from multiple subject domains (anatomy, histology, physiology, biochemistry, and clinical medicine) combined and reduced learning objectives for a specific topic (i.e., respiratory system), and created integrated TBL sessions in place of flipped classroom, single subject TBLs or traditional didactic lectures. Pre‐work to cover the learning objectives associated with each TBL session included videos (self‐made or YouTube videos), worksheets, and textbook readings or narrated powerpoint slide shows. Readiness Assessment Questions (RATs) were constructed based upon the learning objectives and pre‐work. Group application questions consisted of multiple clinical vignettes assessing the student's ability to synthesize and problem‐solve using their knowledge of the clinical sciences. For example, questions were designed incorporating gross anatomy and histology knowledge with interpretation of CXRs, ECGs and lab values. Some questions were identification based, but the majority required problem solving and integration of concepts from each discipline. Utilizing clinical examples provided a way to apply the scientific concepts and to practice difficult skills such as reading CTs or interpreting ECGs. Student performance on mid‐term assessments was enhanced. Final exam performance is still pending, thus sustained retention is unknown. Student attendance, preparation, satisfaction and engagement for TBL sessions within the FOM course dramatically improved when compared to didactic lecture sessions. A further advantage of the integrative approach was the ability to cover more clinically relevant topics than a single subject TBL. Furthermore, the group application questions provided practice for course exams and for USMLE Step 1 preparation as questions were based upon clinical cases and high yield topics. Multidisciplinary TBL sessions may have benefit in health professional schools that are attempting to incorporate active learning and integration of multiple disciplines.This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2018 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.