The Impact of a Newly Implemented PBL Curriculum on the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners Part I Examinations at the National University of Health Sciences

Abstract

Background: Performance differences between students of traditional lecture-based curricula and students of problem-based learning (PBL) curricula on standardized National Board Examinations have been studied. Purpose: To assess the impact and effectiveness of a change from a traditional lecture-based curriculum to a PBL curriculum. Methods: Student performance in a traditional lecture-based curriculum (entering class of 1997) was compared to student performance in a PBL curriculum (entering class of 1998) on the standardized National Board of Chiropractic Examiners Part I Examination. Results: There was a difference between the two curricula, with the PBL curriculum students outperforming the traditional lecture-based curriculum students on each individual part (d =. 36-.95) of the National Board Examination and overall (d =. 96). Conclusion: A comparison of student performance on a standardized National Board Examination has proved a useful tool at quantifying the impact of a newly implemented PBL curriculum.