Lecture Discussion Pathway - very much like what most folks have been used to in undergrad. There are lectures. You go to them (mandatory attendance). You get powerpoints to study from, in addition to the textbooks that you are advised to read (some people do, some people don't. I think grades and understanding are better among folks who do. And I find it frustrating when people ask questions about minutia that was clearly explained in the text, if they had bothered to read it.) But really, the powerpoints and lectures are supposed to give you all the information that you need.
Problem Based Learning - A great mystery to me. They meet weekly, plus have to come to some lectures (OPP, H&P) and labs. Otherwise, they seem to mostly read the texts. They could go to lecture if they wanted, but seriously no one does that. They have only a couple of exams per semester, which are very high stakes. The people in this pathway seem to really like it. I can't speak much more to how it works, but maybe
@ortnakas or another PBL person could pipe up with more details.
Directed Study Pathway (Primary Care Scholars Pathway uses this curriculum as well) - There are modules, which are lists of objectives that you are expected to understand. You have your texts, whatever outside resources you want to use, and (if you have some friends in LDP, maybe some powerpoints from their lectures.) You can go to lectures if you want, but again, no one really does this more than occasionally. You still have to be on campus frequently for lectures in H&P and OPP, and for various labs, so this is not a distance learning pathway. I spend most of my weekdays and occasional weekends in the library or the cafeteria. But I've also studied at Tim Horton's/Dunkin Donuts/Starbucks/Presque Isle/etc. Obviously, I think my pathway is the best. We do have more frequent quizzes and exams than PBL, but we aren't in lecture all day every day like LDP.
PAs (in the 3 year APAP pathway) can do any of these 3.
