Proposed model of case based learning for training undergraduate medical student in surgery

Application of PRI-E-a combined learning method in oral and maxillofacial oncology education

The traditional lecture-based learning (LBL) method is facing great challenges due to its low efficiency and single proceeding form. We designed a PRI-E learning mode that combined and modified problem-based, case-based, and evidence-based learning with a step-by-step approach. We evaluated the practical learning outcomes of using the PRI-E mode by comparing it with traditional lecture-based learning in oral and maxillofacial oncology education. "PRI-E" consists of the first letters of the English words Passion, Research, Innovation, and Education, and it means "the best Education". This prospective randomized controlled trial included 40 participants. We evenly divided the participants into the PRI-E (n = 20) and LBL group (n = 20) based on the entrance test scores. The same staff group designed and then taught the learning content with different group measures. The evaluation included the final test scores and questionnaire assessments. Without affecting the examination results, the PRI-E teaching method was more satisfactory and popular with participants in terms of ability development and classroom participation. Enacting the PRI-E teaching method required more time, but this did not affect its popularity among the participants. Compared with the LBL learning mode, the PRI-E learning mode was more organized and efficient in oral and maxillofacial oncology education without affecting academic performance. This model has a high degree of satisfaction, which is conducive to training students' comprehensive ability.

Medical students' perceptions towards implementing case-based learning in the clinical teaching and clerkship training

BACKGROUND

Depending on the subject area and the 'case' used, many methods can be used to describe case-based learning (CBL). The majority of health professional education is patient-centered. As a result, clinical presentations and diseases are combined with social and clinical sciences, and student learning is linked to real-world applications. The purpose of this study was to evaluate how medical students at the Faculty of Medicine, National Ribat University, felt about the implementation of CBL.

METHODS

This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on 171 final-year medical students (100 females and 71 males). Students were voluntarily invited to complete a self-administered questionnaire consisting of 15 closed-ended questions with 5-point Likert scale responses, covering data on perception, awareness, and barriers to CBL.

RESULTS

The CBL satisfaction rate among medical students was 92.4%. The mean value of the medical student's perception was 3.7 out of 5. Regarding perceptions of CBL, 65.5% of students agreed with the positive impact of CBL on their academic performance. "8.2%" (14/171) of students strongly concur that CBL improved teamwork, while "31.6%" (54/171) strongly disagree. "36.3%" of students strongly believe that CBL improved their ability to use clinical reasoning. Regarding CBL barriers, 53% of medical students considered a group of twenty participants per session to be a barrier. (69%) of students refused to consider physical presence as a barrier. "76.6%" of the students agreed that the moderator's approach and style can have a big influence on the CBL session's outcome.

CONCLUSION

Overall, students had positive perceptions of CBL. Academic performance, clinical reasoning, teamwork, and information retention and retrieval were all improved by incorporating CBL into training modules. Students agreed that the group size of 20 students per session was a barrier, despite their moderate to excellent knowledge of CBL. Preparation for CBL is both time-consuming and tiring. Despite this, students agree that CBL has a positive impact on the learning process.

The Application of Problem-Based Learning Combined With Case-Based Learning in EEG Teaching

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study is to explore the application effectiveness and value of combining problem-based learning (PBL) and case-based learning (CBL) in clinical electroencephalography (EEG) education.

METHODS

A total of 104 standardized training for residents and refresher physicians from the Neurology Department of the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Neurology Department of Chongqing Yubei Hospital, and Neurology Department of Banan Hospital of Chongqing Medical University were enrolled. According to randomization principles, 52 participants were assigned into the PBL-CBL combination group and 52 subjects were assigned into the control group. We used statistical methods to compare the differences between the 2 groups in basic theory, case analysis, practical assessment scores, and teaching satisfaction.

RESULTS

In terms of basic theory, case analysis, practical assessment scores, and teaching satisfaction, there were significant differences between the 2 groups, and the PBL-CBL combination group was superior to the control group (P < .05).

CONCLUSION

In clinical EEG education, the teaching model of combining PBL and CBL has certain application effects and value.

Effectiveness of case-based teaching of cardiovascular physiology in clinical pharmacy students

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to formulate and implement a case-based cardiovascular physiology module for second year clinical pharmacy (CP) students. We also evaluated the students' feedback and compared the academic performance between a case-based teaching (CBT) group and a traditional didactic lectures (TDL) group.

METHODS

This descriptive quantitative study was conducted on 181 students who were divided into two groups. Group 1 (77 students) underwent TDL and the same topics were delivered to Group 2 (94 students) through CBT. A written examination was conducted at the end of both modules. A validated questionnaire was used to obtain feedback from the CBT group regarding CBT and their assessment grades (response rate - 93.6%).

RESULTS

Students' feedback about CBT was positive. The majority of students, 63 (72%), preferred learning and understanding through CBT, finding it an enjoyable experience. Participants stated that CBT stimulated critical thinking (67; 76%) and linked theory to practice (69, 78%). Furthermore, 70 (80%) preferred this type of teaching and assessment in the future and 70 (80%) agreed to include CBT in all preclinical subjects. Students feedback was supported by exam results: the mean percentage of exam scores in the CBT group was significantly higher in comparison to the TDL group (81.2% vs. 79%, p value <0.05). Further comparison within the CBT group revealed improved student performance in "case-based" as compared to "conventional" questions (82.75% vs. 80%, p value <0.05).

CONCLUSION

Students greatly appreciated CBT, as it stimulated logical thinking and active participation in the class, resulting in improved performance in exams.

The effectiveness of the combined problem-based learning (PBL) and case-based learning (CBL) teaching method in the clinical practical teaching of thyroid disease

Background

This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of PBL–CBL combined teaching in thyroid surgery and make observations from the students’ perspectives, based on their satisfaction with the learning process.

Methods

We prospectively enrolled 354 fourth-year students majoring in clinical medicine, along with 232 residents, from September 2014 to June 2019. These participants were randomly allocated into either the combined PBL–CBL teaching group or the traditional lecture-based classroom group to attend a course about thyroid nodules. Both pre- and post-class quizzes were conducted. An anonymous questionnaire was also administered to both groups to evaluate the students’ perceptions and experiences. We compared the two teaching methods among all the students as well as with the fourth-year students and residents in subgroups.

Results

The traditional group’s pre-class quiz scores were significantly higher than the PBL–CBL group’s (as determined by a two-tailed t-test at a 95% confidence interval, T = 16.483, P < 0.001). After class, in the PBL–CBL group, the mean total quiz score and the basic knowledge and case analysis scores increased significantly (P < 0.001). The PBL–CBL group’s performance improvement was significantly higher than the traditional group’s (increasing from 52.76 to 70.51 vs. from 67.03 to 71.97). Furthermore, the scores for learning motivation, understanding, student–teacher interaction, the final examination, communication skills, clinical thinking skills, self-learning skills, teamwork skills, and knowledge absorption, as measured by the survey, were significantly higher in the PBL–CBL group than in the traditional group (P < 0.001). Meanwhile, the survey scores representing the amount of students’ free time the course consumed were significantly lower in the PBL–CBL group than in the traditional group (P < 0.001).

Conclusions

PBL combined with CBL may be an effective method for improving medical students’ and residents’ performance and enhancing their clinical skills.

Promotion of higher order of cognition in undergraduate medical students using case-based approach

BACKGROUND

The curriculum of pathology is conventionally "taught" in a series of didactic lectures, which promotes learning by rote. In this study, case-based learning (CBL) was introduced to assess its effect on higher order cognition and problem-solving skills in undergraduate medical students.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS

The prescribed syllabus of hepatobiliary system was delivered to the undergraduate medical students of the fourth semester by conventional didactic lectures. A pretest, which contained questions designed to test both analysis and recall, was administered, followed by CBL sessions, in the presence of a facilitator, encouraging active discussion among students. Students were then assessed using a similar posttest. The perceptions of the students and the faculty were gathered by means of feedback questionnaires. The scores obtained by the students in the pre- and post-test were compared by paired t-test.

RESULTS

Eighty-one students participated in CBL sessions, with 95.06% expressing a desire for more such sessions, preferably in all the topics. The faculty members also felt that CBL would be beneficial for the students but opined that it should be restricted to some topics. CBL was found to cause a highly significant (P < 0.0001) improvement in the students' higher levels of cognition, whereas the lower orders of cognition remained unaffected (P = 0.2048).

CONCLUSIONS

CBL promotes active learning and helps in the development of critical thinking and analysis in undergraduate medical students. Although it is resource-intensive, an attempt should be made to incorporate it along with lectures in clinically important topics.

Value of case-based learning in a nuclear medicine clerkship

PURPOSE

Medical imaging, including nuclear medicine, is a powerful tool for supporting learning in human morphology and physiology and understanding the nature of disease and response to treatment. The purposes of this study were to create a new case-based learning (CBL) model and to compare CBL and the traditional instructional approach (TIA) in a nuclear medicine clerkship.

METHODS

Internal consistency and expert validity were assessed for the instrument. A quasi-experimental, two-group pretest-posttest design was used for this study. A combination of CBL and the TIA was applied to the experimental group and the TIA only to the control group. Subjects were 70 undergraduate year 5 medical students in a clerkship curriculum. Before and after the educational intervention, students were tested with the instrument.

RESULTS

Cronbach's α coefficients of the instrument ranged from 0.79 to 0.95, indicating acceptable to strong internal consistency. For expert validity, the suitability and fitness of the instrument were verified. The overall score was significantly improved for the experimental group (from 3.51 to 3.65, P = .03) but not for the control group (from 3.48 to 3.44, P = .49). The experimental group also showed significantly improved scores in teacher assessment and learning satisfaction, the latter the only domain showing a significant difference of the differences (P = .020).

CONCLUSIONS

The integration of CBL, allied with the TIA, into clinical clerkships provides medical students with the opportunity to learn a nuclear medicine curriculum in an interactive and case-based format tailored specifically for medical students.

Introduction of case based teaching to impart rational pharmacotherapy skills in undergraduate medical students

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study is to assess the impact of case based teaching (CBT) on learning rational prescribing and to compare CBT with the traditional method of teaching (TRD).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Second year Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) students (n = 179) were administered a pre-test and randomly divided into groups to receive CBT (n = 96) and TRD (n = 83). CBT group was further sub-divided into CBT1 and CBT2. Both these groups were taught two topics each by CBT and TRD during tutorials; however, the topics were switched with respect to method of teaching. The post-test comprised of three therapeutic problems of which two were related, and one was not related to the tutorial topics. Marks obtained in the post-test were graded and analysed using Fischer's exact test.

RESULTS

In the post-test, the therapeutic problems on diabetes mellitus and peptic ulcer were attempted by 85.41% students from CBT and 73.49% from TRD group. CBT group obtained more marks for these problems (4.23 ± 0.94; P < 0.001) than the TRD (3.32 ± 0.92) group. Also, more students in the CBT obtained grade 3 (P < 0.001) and fewer obtained grade 1 (P < 0.01), compared to the TRD group. When the grades of the two CBT groups were compared, it was found that fewer students in CBT 2 had obtained grade 1 and those scoring higher grades were comparable between the two groups. For the therapeutic problem on malaria, 7.29% students from CBT and 18.07% from TRD received 0 grade (P < 0.05). More students received ≥ 2 grade in CBT group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Use of CBT during tutorials is better than TRD and facilitates learning of rational pharmacotherapy.