Study on "four-step" teaching methods in traditional Chinese medicine course

Abstract

Objective To evaluate the results of Four-Step methods in traditional Chinese medicine Course. Methods 40 five-academic-year clinical medical students and 40 seven-academic-year undergraduate students were randomized assigned into experimental group (n=40, 20 five-academic-year clinical medical students and 20 seven-academic-year students) and control group (n=40, 20 five-academic-year students and 20 seven-academic-year students). The control group received conventional teaching, while four-step teaching break the gap between Chinese medicine and western medicine, build the base, form the framework of Chinese medicine and extend was implemented in the experimental group. Through questionnaire score, group discussion, the final evaluation of the theory and clinical training evaluation, the learning of the experimental group students and the control group students was compared. SPSS 18.0 statistical software was used and t test was employed to make analysis of the relevant data. Results The questionnaire at the end of the semester showed that the average score of students in the experimental group (36.18 ± 0.96) was higher than that in the control group (26.62±1.00), and the difference was statistically significant (P=0.017). In the discussion at the end of the semester, the experimental group paid more attention to the theory and technology of traditional Chinese medicine's learning persistence in future and its application in their professional practice. Scores in theory test were higher in seven-academic-year students in experimental group (88.40±8.79) than in control group (82.15±6.83) and the difference was statistically significant (P=0.017), but there was no difference in five-academic-year students between experimental group (75.40±12.09) and control group (77.85±11.99), which was not considered statistically significant different (P=0.524). In clinical practice, the rate of outstanding students in the experimental group of seven-academic-year was five percentage points higher than the control group, while the rate of outstanding students in the experimental group of five-academic-year was 10 percentage points higher than the control group. Conclusions Four step teaching is helpful to stimulating the learning enthusiasm of the students of traditional Chinese medicine, expanding students' vision of medical field, and promoting their construction of a more comprehensive medical knowledge framework. Key words: Medical colleges; Traditional Chinese medicine; Four-step teaching methods, Break the gap between Chinese medicine and western medicine, build the base, form the framework of Chinese medicine and extend knowledge