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benelswick
I was curious about anybody's experience with these two teaching styles within medical education and would it make a difference in choosing a program if you had to do it again? Thanks
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I don't think it's a choice between one or the other.
Here we have PBL, but that only applies to one Clinical Problem Solving class where we get together in small groups twice a week and work through a hypothetical patient. Everything else is all lecture style learning. As far as I've seen, it's a great way to be introduced to clinical medicine.
Most likely the school you're thinking about is mostly all lecture teaching with maybe one special class that uses PBL. Although, like you, I did wonder the same thing when I first read that OSU uses problem based learning before applying here. I thought PBL meant all classes were done as small groups.
Here we have PBL, but that only applies to one Clinical Problem Solving class where we get together in small groups twice a week and work through a hypothetical patient. Everything else is all lecture style learning. As far as I've seen, it's a great way to be introduced to clinical medicine.
Most likely the school you're thinking about is mostly all lecture teaching with maybe one special class that uses PBL. Although, like you, I did wonder the same thing when I first read that OSU uses problem based learning before applying here. I thought PBL meant all classes were done as small groups.
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It can be a choice between one or the other. At LECOM anyway, probably no where else.
After spending 3 months in solid lecture(which understandibly is a short time), I can't imagine going back. I hate lecture so much that I usually skip the few remaining ones I have.
If you like structure and guidance, then lecture is probably fine for you. PBL lacks a great deal of the structure that lecture provides. We aren't told what to study- we decide for ourselves. This can be intimidating for some people but it's really not that bad.
Dr_sax
After spending 3 months in solid lecture(which understandibly is a short time), I can't imagine going back. I hate lecture so much that I usually skip the few remaining ones I have.
If you like structure and guidance, then lecture is probably fine for you. PBL lacks a great deal of the structure that lecture provides. We aren't told what to study- we decide for ourselves. This can be intimidating for some people but it's really not that bad.
Dr_sax
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benelswick,
When I interviewed at WVSOM this year, they let us sit in on a PBL session. I will be honest, i thought that the PBL was pretty cool. They had two moderators, which were professors at the school. I think that the group I was observing consisted of 8 people with the 2 mods. Every so many weeks, they switch groups and have 7 or 8 new classmates with different mods.
I like how the learning is self directed. BUT, I think you have to be very disciplined to do the PBL track. I have no experience in a PBL setting, just what I observed during my interview. The students at WVSOM seemed to really like the program. There were quite a few non traditional students in the group that I saw. I think that it is the person's own preference as to what track they want to take.
Aaron
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I am a second year PBL student at Lecom, and I agree with Dr. Sax. After spending 12 weeks in lecture for Gross Anatomy, I don't know how people tolerate 2 years of lecture based learning. Here are the things I like about PBL at Lecom:
1. Flexible schedule - I decide what time to study and what topic to study. Since I tend to be more of a night owl, I usually start studying sometime in the mid afternoon. It works better for me.
2. Self (or group) directed learning - We choose the topics that we study, and we cover almost every major topic twice. Sometimes the process is a little fuzzy when selecting learning issues, particularly if two groups want to pursue different areas of study. However, over 2 years, it's worked out amazingly well.
3. I've said it before and I'll say it again - I love studying in my pajamas!!!
4. The PBL group is generally a tight knit group. Sure, there are disagreements. However, we get along very well as a whole.
5. Finally, the PBL pathway has done well at Lecom. Board scores have been great, and clinically, the PBL students are well prepared. Every case is an opportunity to practice history and physicals. We have several chances to practice different skills on real patients throughout our basic science years. This year, our class had the opportunity to take the shelf exam to gauge our progress, and the majority of our PBL class passed without studying prior to the exam. Also, although this always causes a great deal of debate, last year's PBL board scores were nearly 50 points higher than their LDP counterparts. My point here is not to say that PBL is better than LDP. I just want to point out that we are doing at least as well as they are.
What do I dislike about PBL at Lecom:
1. Test questions - (doesn't everyone?) The faculty at Lecom doesn't always recognize that PBL students' ONLY study out of textbooks. We don't attend lectures. There have been many cases where test questions have come from sources other than the required texts. To be fair, these questions are usually dropped.
2. Lack of socialization - Since we don't go to school everyday, your best friend tends to become your couch. Some days, I think it's tougher on my husband having me there, because I can't just hang out. There's usually a "Do Not Disturb" look on my face throughout the day. The key here - take time out of every day (at least one hour) to do something off of the couch. Go to dinner with family or friends. Go for a walk. Catch a movie. Join a softball league. Anything.
Sorry for the long post. Hope that this answers some of your questions!
1. Flexible schedule - I decide what time to study and what topic to study. Since I tend to be more of a night owl, I usually start studying sometime in the mid afternoon. It works better for me.
2. Self (or group) directed learning - We choose the topics that we study, and we cover almost every major topic twice. Sometimes the process is a little fuzzy when selecting learning issues, particularly if two groups want to pursue different areas of study. However, over 2 years, it's worked out amazingly well.
3. I've said it before and I'll say it again - I love studying in my pajamas!!!
4. The PBL group is generally a tight knit group. Sure, there are disagreements. However, we get along very well as a whole.
5. Finally, the PBL pathway has done well at Lecom. Board scores have been great, and clinically, the PBL students are well prepared. Every case is an opportunity to practice history and physicals. We have several chances to practice different skills on real patients throughout our basic science years. This year, our class had the opportunity to take the shelf exam to gauge our progress, and the majority of our PBL class passed without studying prior to the exam. Also, although this always causes a great deal of debate, last year's PBL board scores were nearly 50 points higher than their LDP counterparts. My point here is not to say that PBL is better than LDP. I just want to point out that we are doing at least as well as they are.
What do I dislike about PBL at Lecom:
1. Test questions - (doesn't everyone?) The faculty at Lecom doesn't always recognize that PBL students' ONLY study out of textbooks. We don't attend lectures. There have been many cases where test questions have come from sources other than the required texts. To be fair, these questions are usually dropped.
2. Lack of socialization - Since we don't go to school everyday, your best friend tends to become your couch. Some days, I think it's tougher on my husband having me there, because I can't just hang out. There's usually a "Do Not Disturb" look on my face throughout the day. The key here - take time out of every day (at least one hour) to do something off of the couch. Go to dinner with family or friends. Go for a walk. Catch a movie. Join a softball league. Anything.
Sorry for the long post. Hope that this answers some of your questions!
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One of my study partners was a psych major. He has had some difficulties - particularly early on in the process. However, I think that his major problem was that he tried to study by himself. After the first semester, he began studying with other people, and his grades have improved drastically. If you feel confident with your ability to learn new material without lecture and if you are willing to find a study group, I don't see any reason why you shouldn't pursue PBL.
