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how is it different then a regular curriculum and how is it worse, better?
what is PBL?
- Thread starter savvysearch
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PBL is problem-based learning.
Arizona has a component of PBL that accounts for 30% of our grade in each course.
OUR PBL is done on computers, and works like this:
We get an initial posting in a forum (much like SDN forums, I suppose) where a patient presents to a clinic, hospital, etc. with certain symptoms.
From that initial post we are to make a differential diagnosis, or note what medical history we think would be important or pertinent to see, or order lab tests, blood tests, etc.
Subsequent posts from the instructor are automatically timed to be posted each day, and each post reveals more and more information about the patient. If our posts match closely what the instructor has posted, then we are pretty much on the right track.
The final post by the instructor to the case is a resolution, and we as students are also responsible for posting a resolution. It is this resolution that we would use to present our patient to our fellow students and colleagues.
PBL systems in general are good because they only reveal bits and pieces of the information regarding the patient, symptoms, and medical history. Ours require us to really put together some good medical skills in assessing the situation.
Harvard, Indiana and USC are the traditional "PBL schools," meaning they use the PBL method as their major curriculum method. As I said before, at Arizona the PBL cases are worth 30% of our grade. I don't know how the other schools do it, but our cases are entirely medical in nature, meaning they cover ALL aspects of healthcare, not just dentistry. Our cases relate directly to whatever module we are studying that week. During Genetics, we dealt with conditions and abnormalities, during Microbiology we dealt with viruses and bacteria, etc.
As we move into our dental-related classes next semester, our cases will move their also.
This is MY experience, I'm sure others can add theirs.
Arizona has a component of PBL that accounts for 30% of our grade in each course.
OUR PBL is done on computers, and works like this:
We get an initial posting in a forum (much like SDN forums, I suppose) where a patient presents to a clinic, hospital, etc. with certain symptoms.
From that initial post we are to make a differential diagnosis, or note what medical history we think would be important or pertinent to see, or order lab tests, blood tests, etc.
Subsequent posts from the instructor are automatically timed to be posted each day, and each post reveals more and more information about the patient. If our posts match closely what the instructor has posted, then we are pretty much on the right track.
The final post by the instructor to the case is a resolution, and we as students are also responsible for posting a resolution. It is this resolution that we would use to present our patient to our fellow students and colleagues.
PBL systems in general are good because they only reveal bits and pieces of the information regarding the patient, symptoms, and medical history. Ours require us to really put together some good medical skills in assessing the situation.
Harvard, Indiana and USC are the traditional "PBL schools," meaning they use the PBL method as their major curriculum method. As I said before, at Arizona the PBL cases are worth 30% of our grade. I don't know how the other schools do it, but our cases are entirely medical in nature, meaning they cover ALL aspects of healthcare, not just dentistry. Our cases relate directly to whatever module we are studying that week. During Genetics, we dealt with conditions and abnormalities, during Microbiology we dealt with viruses and bacteria, etc.
As we move into our dental-related classes next semester, our cases will move their also.
This is MY experience, I'm sure others can add theirs.
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thanks, gavin!
