A case study of methods used to tackle a common pedagogic problem in medical and dental education: time pressure

This case study describes how the common problems of time shortage, factual overload and curriculum overcrowding were tackled in one context, using good practice guidelines. It examines the impact of two hours of intensive, interactive teaching on the knowledge and attitudes of senior medical undergraduates at one United Kingdom school, and the effectiveness of two different ways of presenting information. The session raised student awareness of the importance to medical practice of the topic. There were statistically significant increases in the ability and knowledge of students over the period, as self-rated by students and assessed by the teacher; results of the impact on learning outcomes of different versions of a handout were not statistically significant. Further research on modes of presentation of information and their impact on forming and accessing illness scripts is suggested. Minority subjects in potentially overcrowded, time-pressured curricula can be effectively introduced in short time slots.