A little soapbox moment from wysdoc:
"PBLs/CBLs/TBLs where the majority of the class hasn't gotten the content a first time, or certainly reviewed it, making it an inefficient (but still mandatory) waste of time."
For this teaching style to work, students need to read the prep material before the meeting. Then it makes sense to everyone and you can have a good session. It would then not be a waste of time.
As many of you discovered in "group projects" in college, it is common for many to ride the coattails of the one student who did the prep work and try to get the main points for themselves passively.
Whether you believe what you have been told or not, that the amount of material to learn in med school is on another level compared to college, it is the truth.
Fully engaging
in the activity you are attending to reach understanding is the way to go here. It will increase your comprehension in the long run.
Ignoring the ongoing PBL session to do your Anki cards, then asking people "what did I miss?" and expecting them to summarize or capsulize the main points for you, is not the best way to learn or build trust with your classmates. Anki is a solitary study modality, so do it when solitary, you know?
@IJUSTWANTOPARTYDOC has made some good points here that you should take to heart: Sometimes what you are learning to do (like physical exam skills) don't make a lot of sense UNTIL they are put into perspective for you by clinicians. Seeing the skills in various contexts reinforces your understanding of them. It all builds your medical expertise.
