System based curriculum and "classical" based

[abadri421]

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I was wondering what you guys thought of the differences between the system based and the classical. I couldnt find a better name than classical, if anyone has a better one please do share. Classical is the one where you would take biochem, pharm, physio, and anatomy all seperate of each other and they dont correlate with each other.

Also do you know of any data that shows any method better when it comes to board scores?
Personally I am used to the classical method but the systems based method sounds very interesting to me. Can anyone with experience in both shed some light on this, becuase it seems to me like the systems based approach can be overwhelming when you have to study all that information.
Thank you for your feedback

 

[Vee]

It's going to be overwhelming no matter which curriculum your school subscribes to.

 

[t-funk]

I know KCUMB uses systems based and the curriculum there is pretty similar to my state allopathic. KCUMB says it uses case based studies while UNMC has PBL in addition to systems CORE. I'm not really sure how case-based differs from PBL though. Anyway, I know that I will learn best with systems based curriculum just bc that is the type of person I am and was a major factor for me and why I liked KCUMB so much. I just prefer a more integrated approach and feel I will do better on the boards that way. I am sure everyone is different though.

 

[ckenny]

Classical = Discipline Based

I think that system based makes more sense, but I've only been through discipline based.

I was wondering what you guys thought of the differences between the system based and the classical. I couldnt find a better name than classical, if anyone has a better one please do share. Classical is the one where you would take biochem, pharm, physio, and anatomy all seperate of each other and they dont correlate with each other.

Also do you know of any data that shows any method better when it comes to board scores?
Personally I am used to the classical method but the systems based method sounds very interesting to me. Can anyone with experience in both shed some light on this, becuase it seems to me like the systems based approach can be overwhelming when you have to study all that information.
Thank you for your feedback

 

[CtownTriDoc]

Many med schools use the systems-based approach, and I think both SBL and PBL coincide with the idea that physicians are going to need to treat based on symptoms and how the entire system is functioning, or even how one is influencing another. Taking the subjects "all at once" as they relate to one or multiple systems will start you (us) thinking in this manner from the outset of our medical training, as opposed to taking the individual subjects one at a time and then piecing them together in clinical situations.

Both methods have obviously worked well, so I'm not bashing the subject-based method, but I am looking forward to learning via the "clinical simulation" method my first 2 years of school.

 

[abadri421]

Does anyone know if allopathic use PBL and systems based approach or if thats only limited to osteopathic schools? Thanks

 

[Vee]

Does anyone know if allopathic use PBL and systems based approach or if thats only limited to osteopathic schools? Thanks

some do and some don't, just like osteopathic schools.

 

[t-funk]

Does anyone know if allopathic use PBL and systems based approach or if thats only limited to osteopathic schools? Thanks

UNMC (Nebraska) uses systems based with PBL.

 

[nlax30]

Does anyone know if allopathic use PBL and systems based approach or if thats only limited to osteopathic schools? Thanks

What others have said, some do. I haven't heard of one that's strictly PBL yet, but I know there's several that integrate it into the curriculum, to varying degrees of success just based on comments from others on there. My opinion--> but I'm not sure how effective PBL is unless it's done "all the way" instead of being thrown into a traditional curriculum just to so someone can say "hey, we over this or that..."

Here's some info students have posted, includes details on the curriculum/other info at some allo schools.
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=410273

 

[BCLumas]

I agree with nlax on this one. I do not see how you could half-ass PBL by semi-integrating it into a curriculum. Although some topcis need to be lecture-based, a 50-50 kind of load would be terribly confusing, and it would make PBL seem to gimmicky. Just my thoughts...

 

[osli]

I'm 3/4 of the way through KCUMB's pre-clinical years, and here are just a couple of snippets of my thoughts on systems vs. discipline based.

1. Biochemistry might be the one standout that I think needs its own discipline based course. For me, at least, it is the one thing that I tend to forget the quickest, and thus is harder for me to make the connections from one system to another when biochem lectures might be many weeks apart. On the other hand, I actually understand how the pathway/enzymes/metabolites/regulation etc. interact with the body physiologically, pharmacologically, pathologically etc. during any one lecture. I just tend to forget the details, or sometimes don't realize how one pathway is connected to another. Not a big deal, really... see point 2.

2. IMO, however your school teaches I think you will benefit from doing board review in the opposite way. i.e., since we are systems based, I have a terrific big picture view, understanding of integration, and can work through most case based problems with ease; but I am finding it of benefit to do some board review in a subject specific way... physiology, pharmacology, pathology, biochem, etc. I pick up a few more details that at the time didn't jump out at me... but now that I have the big picture, I realize how some of them fit into the puzzle. On the other hand, most schools are still on a discipline based traditional approach, and most students find systems based board review books extremely helpful. So ultimately, I think both approaches are very useful to the student and will probably help solidify your understanding... whichever your school does, spend a decent amount of time self-studying in the other way for boards. Personally, I'd rather have systems based curriculum first because it gives me a very solid conceptual foundation (with plenty of detail), and is making self-studying in focused areas very productive.

3. Systems based rocks as far as keeping variety in your life. And I might be out of my mind, but it seems easy to keep up with and study for. Either that, or KCUMB is just a terribly easy school. I sometimes wonder if I'm learning half what other students at more traditional schools are, but then I do a few review questions from robbins or elselvier and figure I'm not doing so bad after all. I think it just seems easier because more stuff just "sticks" from exposure rather than from cramming charts and lists into your head.