Abstract
ObjectivesTo investigate medical students’ perceptions of lecture and non-lecture-based instructional methods and compare preferences for use and quantity of each during preclinical training. MethodsWe administered a survey to first- and second-year undergraduate medical students at the University of Alabama School of Medicine in Birmingham, Alabama, USA aimed to evaluate preferred instructional methods. Using a cross-sectional study design, Likert scale ratings and student rankings were used to determine preferences among lecture, laboratory, team-based learning, simulation, small group case-based learning, large group case-based learning, patient presentation, and peer teaching. We calculated mean ratings for each instructional method and used chi-square tests to compare proportions of first- and second-year cohorts who ranked each in their top 5 preferred methods. ResultsAmong participating students, lecture (M=3.6, SD=1.0), team based learning (M=4.2, SD=1.0), simulation (M=4.0, SD=1.0), small group case-based learning (M=3.8, SD=1.0), laboratory (M=3.6, SD=1.0), and patient presentation (M=3.8, SD=0.9) received higher scores than other instructional methods. Overall, second-year students ranked lecture lower (χ2(1, N=120) =16.33, p<0.0001) and patient presentation higher (χ2(1, N=120) =3.75, p=0.05) than first-year students. ConclusionsWhile clinically-oriented teaching methods were preferred by second-year medical students, lecture-based instruction was popular among first-year students. Results warrant further investigation to determine the ideal balance of didactic methods in undergraduate medical education, specifically curricula that employ patient-oriented instruction during the second preclinical year.
Highlights
The premise of undergraduate medical education is the scaffolding of knowledge in the basic and clinical sciences with the goal of producing competent, well-rounded physicians who are engaged in patient care
The purpose of this study is to evaluate students’ perspectives on lecture and non-lecture-based instructional methods currently in use in the University of Alabama School of Medicine (UASOM) preclinical curriculum
No significant differences in the mean composite Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) score or undergraduate grade point average existed between the student cohorts
Summary
The premise of undergraduate medical education is the scaffolding of knowledge in the basic and clinical sciences with the goal of producing competent, well-rounded physicians who are engaged in patient care. A variety of instructional methods are available from which to choose, and educators and students may lack familiarity or comfort with their utilization, when content is not delivered in the same manner or covered to the same extent as lecture-based approaches.[4,8,9] Some instructional strategies require supplementary resources including space, time, or an increased number of faculty or staff, which can place additional burden on the medical school.[10] with the available resources for accessing emerging basic science and clinical knowledge, educators may be unsure of students’ abilities to independently seek, sort, and prioritize this information appropriately
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