Perceptions & Self-efficacy in Faculty of a Public Sector Medical College on Integrated Versus Conventional Teaching

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Background Objectives: The landscape of medical education is evolving, with a shift from conventional to integrated learning. However, the perceptions of teaching faculty towards these pedagogical approaches remain underexplored. This study aims to understand the preferences of the teaching faculty at Sheikh Zayed Medical College towards conventional and integrated learning methods and the reasons behind their preferences.Methods: A cross-sectional survey study was conducted to gather data on faculty preferences. An online survey was disseminated to the teaching faculty of Sheikh Zayed Medical College, Lahore encompassing 7 basic and 10 clinical departments, and comprising 70 members. In addition to this, the 'Teachers' Sense of Self-Efficacy Scale' was utilized to assess the teachers' self-confidence levels.Results: The response rate of the survey was 52.85% (37 participants). Despite the study's limitations, the teaching faculty generally expressed a positive outlook towards integrated learning. Sociodemographic factors that were significantly associated with teaching preference included gender (p<0.000) and qualification levels (p<0.001). Of the 35% males, 11 out of 13 preferred integrated teaching. Of the 46% MBBS only degree holders, 13 out of 17 preferred integrated teaching. A significant correlation was found between the self-efficacy scores and the faculty's previous exposure to integrated learning (p=0.027).Conclusion: This study finds multiple advantages of integrated learning for medical students. However, careful planning, better interdepartmental communication, and consideration of student workload are necessary for successful implementation. Notably, faculty members who are exposed to the integrated system early on seem to have higher levels of self-efficacy.Key words: Integrated Curriculum, Conventional, Teaching methods, Medical, Self efficacy, perception