The emergence of problem-based learning in medical education.

Abstract

Problem-based learning (PBL) has been defined as ‘an educational method which uses carefully constructed clinical problems as a context for students to learn problem-solving skills and acquire knowledge about the basic and clinical sciences’ (Albanese & Mitchell 1993). The emergence of PBL and its rise to prominence stem from attempts to bring modern concepts of adult learning into the medical education arena. This implies that ‘traditional’ medical curricula that emphasize didactic teaching and rote learning are passe, a concept that will be explored further in this paper. From its tentative beginnings some 30 years ago as an experimental teaching strategy in a few pioneering medical schools, PBL has become relatively mainstream. For example, five of Australia’s 11 medical schools now have PBL-based curricula while others use PBL to some extent. Such diverse bodies as the World Federation of Medical Education (Walton & Matthews 1989) and the World Health Organisation (Fulop 1984) are long-time supporters of PBL. Numerous medical schools in the USA (Jonas et al. 1991), Europe, the Middle East, and the Far East have embraced PBL (Bligh 1995). In the UK, several schools are in the process of adopting PBL (Bligh & Wilkinson 1997). This paper aims to provide those with little or no prior knowledge of PBL with an explanation of the origins of PBL, its compatibility with educational theory and its potential advantages and disadvantages. It describes the PBL process and outlines a typical PBL case. Finally, it provides perceptions on some common problems experienced with PBLbased curricula.