Abstract
Background: PBL (problem based learning) is new active learning educational strategy that has been extensively tested and used in recent years. This study aims to compare students' understanding and knowledge retention when taught through PBL and lecture-based classes and compare PAHS students' perceptions of PBL and lectures in medical education. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study of medical students of a PBL based medical school in Nepal, a non-Western low-income country. Ethical approval was given by the institutional research committee of the Patan Academy of Health Sciences. Understanding and knowledge retention was assessed with 50 vignette-based multiple-choice questions, half of which were taught through PBL sessions, and the remaining half were taught in didactic lectures during basic science years of medical school. A separate pre-validated perception questionnaire was used to assess students' preferences regarding PBL and lectures. Results: Out of 107 students, 99 participated in the understanding and knowledge retention questionnaires and 107 completed perception questionnaires. Understanding and knowledge retention of students was found to be the same for topics taught by PBL and lectures, with median scores of 17 and s16, respectively. PBL were mostly preferred for the physiology (59.81%), pathology (51.40%) and pharmacology (53.27%) concepts, and lectures were mostly preferred for the anatomy (78.50%), biochemistry (45.79%), and microbiology (42.99%) topics. Students wanted the same concepts to be taught through both PBL and lectures, especially for anatomy. Conclusions: Understanding and knowledge retention is the same for topics taught by either PBL or lectures during the basic science years of undergraduate medical education. Students prefer PBL for physiology, pathology, and pharmacology-related concepts, conventional didactic lecture for physiology and microbiology, and a combination of lecture and PBL sessions for anatomy.
Highlights
Sir William Osler, referred to as the father of modern medicine, emphasized the role of teachers in helping students to observe and reason
Problem-Based Learning (PBL) is an integral part of teaching in the undergraduate medical education of several medical schools around the globe, including Patan Academy of Health Sciences (PAHS), a government medical school of a non-Western LIC, Nepal.[2]
Study design and participants This study is a cross-sectional study performed in Nepal, a non-Western low-income country, among medical students of PAHS, where the hybrid PBL method is used during basic science years
Summary
Sir William Osler, referred to as the father of modern medicine, emphasized the role of teachers in helping students to observe and reason. This study showed understanding and knowledge retention of students remained the same for topics taught by PBL compared to topics taught by lecture. Most other studies show better understanding and knowledge retention with PBL than lectures. This study aims to compare students' understanding and knowledge retention when taught through PBL and lecture-based classes and compare PAHS students' perceptions of PBL and lectures in medical education. Understanding and knowledge retention was assessed with 50 vignette-based multiple-choice questions, half of which were taught through PBL sessions, and the remaining half were taught in didactic lectures during basic science years of medical school. Understanding and knowledge retention of students was found to be the same for topics taught by PBL and lectures, with median scores of 17 and s16, respectively. Conclusions: Understanding and knowledge retention is the same for version 2
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