Use of a team-based learning-influenced approach in an ambulatory care course

Abstract

ObjectiveTo describe the development of an ambulatory care-focused elective course that used select elements of team-based learning (TBL) and to evaluate students' acceptance and opinions of these instructional changes. MethodsA three-credit-hour ambulatory care elective course for third-year pharmacy students was transformed from a traditional lecture-based format to an active learning format influenced by TBL. The primary course objectives were for students to be able to assess patient cases and solve pharmacotherapeutic dilemmas using a problem-solving framework. ResultsResults of a survey administered to gather students' opinions of the course format revealed improvement in agreement scores after the second semester of using these new instructional methods. Student evaluations of instructors were more favorable prior to implementation of TBL-influenced methods. However, there was a trend toward consistent improvement in evaluations after the initial year of using TBL-influenced methods. ConclusionsThis instructional method influenced by TBL is a creative strategy to promote active learning in a case-based, ambulatory care elective course.