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I was wondering if anyone out there has any knowledge or opinions on Problem Based Learning. Is it better than a traditional curriculum? Are board scores affected positively or negatively?
Problem Bases Learning?
- Thread starter EW5817
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Most students seem to like the problem-based learning curriculum, and find the traditional curriculum too detached from clinical medicine.
Unfortunately, despite this interest, it's been shown that board scores are affected NEGATIVELY.
Tim of New York City.
(trapped in a problem-based curriculum that only works half the time)
Unfortunately, despite this interest, it's been shown that board scores are affected NEGATIVELY.
Tim of New York City.
(trapped in a problem-based curriculum that only works half the time)
I actually enjoy PBLs...which got me thinking about the supposed negative effect on board scores. We have had a 100% pass rate on the USMLE boards with scores above the national average for the last 3-4 years. Then I thought Harvard has PBLs too and they seem to do very well on the boards. With that in mind, I went to Medline and did some quick research. Everything I found said that students who had PBLs did better on national licensing exams than control groups that did not have PBLs. That seemed intuitive because of the way our PBLs work. We meet to discuss the problem with the knowledge we have gained from class. We make learning objectives based on the many things we don't know or fully understand. After about a week, we meet again to resolve the problem. In that time, everyone has done further research on the topic. When we discuss the case again we have a deeper understanding of what's happening. It is also useful because it is a similar format to the conferences we will be attending once we hit the wards and beyond(or so I've heard). Anyway thats my take on PBLs.
