Systems based is how most school teach as their main source of info. It basically means you have everything you learned organized by a system (i.e. GI, Vascular, Immuno, etc). Within each system you learn the normal anatomy and physio and then the pathology, etc. Some schools have separate biochem, cell bio, and pharmacology courses (usually year 1) and then go into a systems-based pathophysiology thing, but others integrate the systems into the entire firsrt two years.
Systems-based programs are traditional lectures (they talk, you listen and take notes, ask questions) and sometimes small discussion groups to follow up.
Problem-based (or PBL) is usually done in small groups and you literally are presented a problem with very little info-- i.e. "Patient X comes into the ER with chest pains" and you have to figure out what to do... from an initial differential to what tests to run to narrowing your differential to what might be wrong, etc. In that process, you learn a lot about the system and normals/abnormals... you also learn about the tests you run, etc.
Many schools combine systems-based and PBL, some are solely one or the other, and it's really a personal choice which school and curriculum you prefer. Partly it depends on the type of learner you are. Not to say that all systems-based courses are dry, but if you don't do well in lectures, you may find that PBL is good for you (provided you learn well in a group and are good at teamwork).
Personally, I worry a bit about how well PBL prepares you for boards (or, it's more up to you at least because you choose what to look into when discussing a case). I actually find a lot of value in PBL as far as learning "real" medicine (as opposed to medicine for your boards!) and, personally, think I learn better that way anyway... but I am still happier in a school that has a combined curriculum. The PBL backs up your lectures and helps to reinforce things. It also helps you learn how to work in a group diplomatically (something you WILL do in medicine). The lectures serve as a source of flat-out info and allow you to discuss questions with "experts". Oh, I should mention that the PBL always has a facilitator (faculty) who is responsible only for maintaining the peace and flow of the discussion, but does not acutally contribute-- they also grade you in addition to peer evaluation (some schools, but I don't think all, use peer evals, too).
Anyway, I chose a combination curriculum school for myself... like I said, it's a personal choice. If you have other questions, just PM me.
FD
