[Integrating problem-based learning into traditional medical courses: the PBL approach to Pediatrics in Berlin]

Integrating a problem-based learning (PBL) approach into the classical curriculum for medical students is often considered difficult because of fundamental differences in the two teaching methods. At the Charité, the medical school of Berlin's Humboldt University, students with a regular medical curriculum are offered to choose between a regular and a PBL class for their course in Paediatrics. During the three-week course in PBL Paediatrics medical students spend the morning in different clinics of the "Otto Heubner Centre for Paediatrics". They are strongly involved in the medical care of 3-4 patients with typical paediatric diseases. Each afternoon, one of the students presents a patient. Patient problems are discussed according to the seven steps of PBL. Subsequently, students use different tools and sources through self-studies to obtain information on the specific disease. By integrating the principles of "Evidence-based medicine" students are trained to critically appraise the medical literature. At the end of the course students are asked to evaluate the quality of the medical teacher, thus allowing for continuous improvement of the teaching methods. We conclude that the principles of PBL can be integrated into a conventional curriculum in medical school.