question about PBL

[LauraMac]

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Can someone tell me what PBL is really like? Do you talk to real patients or are there just models and examples? For those of you who have done a lot of PBL in the first two years, do you think it was better than just learning everything from a book?

 

[Skialta]

PBL=pain in the ass.

You usually end up wasting a bunch of time overlearning obscure points about the subject. It can be somewhat helpful, but is definitely not the most productive use of time. My 2 Cents.

 

[JattMed]

PBL is a waste of time. I'd rather be sleeping or eating. PBL is supposed to be a place where one can learn clincal reasoning through case presentation. It never works because the Jug Heads in your group dont know the basics of PBL or Adult Learning Theory. The students are very reluctant to give up 'old' ways/habits of studying. Some people in my groups had access to previous PBLs and would come prepped and 'hijack' the process, so soon it degenerated into a big pissing contest. People go home and cram and then show up twice a week to the tutorial rooms to show off. In the end it is really what you as a group make of it. Know how PBL functions, and stick to the format-otherwise it is a waste of time to show. Better off watching Dr. Phil or Oprah during that time.

Cheers

 

[ericdamiansean]

Not really..are you from a PBL school? Or are you didactic? If you are a PBL based school...you have to pay alot of attention to PBLs because they really help you.

Most of us had a really bad impression about PBL when we first started..even after one year, but as we progressed, we found out that we learnt alot about it. However, if your group members screw things up, then, of course,it won't be so effective as you'll have to find out more stuff yourself.

Oh yah, and make sure you grill the facilitator for the key points(topics) at the end of the PBLs, just to make sure you haev covered what is supposed to be covered

 

[cocoabutter]

Can someone tell me what PBL is really like? Do you talk to real patients or are there just models and examples? For those of you who have done a lot of PBL in the first two years, do you think it was better than just learning everything from a book?

For us, there are no real patients. Each week we are given a different case that is supposedly related to what we are doing in lecture. The cases are designed to help us think mechanistically; this is usually where the problems arise because we don't always have the appropriate level of knowledge to figure this out. It can be quite annoying to sit there with no idea of what is going on. When we actually accomplish something, the cases are beneficial. Its really a toss up.

 

[ericdamiansean]

Oh yah, sorry, i forgot to reply that part.

You get a triggger which is this case, and you all sit down and discuss what issues do you want to learn about it. And then, either everyone looks up everything, or we divide it. It's pretty iriritating if you've just started the system and you know nothing about it, but then, we always grill the facilitator at the end of the session to make sure we got all the topics

 

[sunflower79]

I actually like PBL (ok so I'm a freak) and I'm sorry we don't have more. Well, to be honest it's not an efficient way to learn, but interactive learning is way better than sitting in lecture.

To answer the OP, most PBLs consist of cases in which we first divvy up stuff to look up (very short session) and then reconvene to present our findings. A few PBLs in our organ systems block include real patients; those have been cool, really left an impression on me and makes the disease come alive. I imagine it's a taste of how we'll be learning in the wards.

my $.02,
~sunflower

 

[WillHague007]

Is there anyone out there who has gone through a PBL system? If so does PBL prep you for the boards enough? Also, does it really help that much, over the traditional systems, in the wards? I was about to go to the new Cleveland Clinic Medical school but was put off, in part, because I was iffy on the PBL teaching. I just wasn't sure how you could cover all the important topics using the PBL system, especially since they didn't plan on giving ANY lectures. I just thought I would have to go home and cram and cram and cram, since I didn't learn everything I needed to know in class.

 

[Harps]

Better off watching Dr. Phil or Oprah during that time.

Cheers

Wait wait....you're Jatt....and you're watching Dr. Phil
































I watch Oprah religiously as well..heheh

-Harps

 

[ericdamiansean]

Is there anyone out there who has gone through a PBL system? If so does PBL prep you for the boards enough? Also, does it really help that much, over the traditional systems, in the wards? I was about to go to the new Cleveland Clinic Medical school but was put off, in part, because I was iffy on the PBL teaching. I just wasn't sure how you could cover all the important topics using the PBL system, especially since they didn't plan on giving ANY lectures. I just thought I would have to go home and cram and cram and cram, since I didn't learn everything I needed to know in class.

I;e gone through it..my school is PBL/didactic..hybrid school..sounds weird but we get by.
I don't think it preps you enough, you have to do alot of reading on you own, and sometimes, you might over read and read unimportant stuff, hence time is lost.
It does help in the wards as PBL triggers are cases, so, you'll get used to a case based question, which is what you get in ward rounds
That's why, you need to read on your own, and make sure the facilitator tells you if anything is missing from the discussion. Do you have a study guide?