Here's an example: Your group spends a meeting or two working through a case, and the diagnosis turns out to be diabetes. Your group then assigns reading for the exam that you should learn based on the case-- you might pick a pathology section on diabetes, a physiology chapter on insulin and glucagon, some biochemistry chapters of glucose metabolism, and a pharmacology chapter on the relevant drugs. The reading is supposed to be student assigned, but your facilitator is around to give feedback and suggestions while you choose. Your reading also has to be approved by the exam directors, so faculty do make sure you're picking things that are important and relevant. After a while, it becomes pretty obvious what they're steering you toward, and groups tend to pick pretty concordant readings-- I often end up with the same reading assignments as my friends in other groups, or at least very similar assignments. After first year, I know I've covered the vast majority of our physiology book and biochemistry book, and pretty good chunks of everything else (neuro, pharm, immunology, etc).
Switching pathways is complicated because they're not learning the same things at the same time. I know you can switch in the middle of the first semester when you're done with anatomy; I'm not sure if switching is allowed after that. (I'm not saying it isn't, I honestly don't know).
I am in PBL. "Enough time" is a very relative phrase in medical school (I'd always love more time!) but I think I'd have to say yes. That said, the PBL material I'm talking about assigning ("final learning issues") is actually a lot more material than the assigned reading we're given ("common learning issues"). To give you an idea, second semester you're tested on ~700 pages total, or ~85 pages per case plus common learning issues, every 5-6 weeks; it's a bit slower first semester, I don't remember the page count. I'm only just starting OMS-II so I can't speak to the boards yet. However, I'm confident that I've learned A LOT of material in the last year, and that I've developed very solid study skills. They tell us the PBL pathway is great preparation for the boards, and while I don't have firsthand knowledge of that yet I'd tend to believe it. I obviously have zero experience in LDP and the other pathways, so I'm not in a position to compare it to other curricula inside or outside of LECOM.
I have a week before classes start so I'll try to be accessible for questions while I have time; just quote me or tag me so I notice and check this thread.
Edit to add: as an aside for those of you worried about not getting ahold of anyone in the offices last Friday, it was the first years' registration and I'm sure everyone, including IT, was swamped. You'll likely have better luck next week.
Good luck with the application process!
. I'm sure your II is coming soon!
