Preparing tutors for problem-based learning: An experience from B. P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Nepal

Abstract

Problem based learning (PBL) has made major impact on curricular designing and practice in medical education for the last forty years. Incorporation of PBL approach in medical education has been a challenge and opportunity for both educationists on how to impart change and medical teachers on how to internalise the change. This paper aimed to investigate experiences, achievement and responses of medical teachers at B. P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences (BPKIHS), Nepal. There were 25 heterogeneous groups of teachers, majority of them were entry level. Pre- and Post-test question were taken from various topics relevant to PBL such as learning strategy and principles of adult learning, PBL practice at BPKIHS, tutorial session and role of a tutor, making resource session interactive, designing PBL problems, planning educational objectives in PBL, formulation of problem for PBL. In addition to it participants' perception on development and dissemination of PBL manual and effectiveness of workshop were also included in the questionnaire. There was significant gain in knowledge following the workshop (p<0.001). The perception of the teacher found quite relevant and useful for adopting new role as tutor. The respondent teachers noted that skills they learned during the training will be applicable to their job situation. They stressed for an additional training for reinforcement and update with new trends and tools in PBL. Therefore, such trainings for faculty development would be highly beneficial to inculcate new competencies in PBL.