Gender-related group dynamics in problem-based learning : a retrospective study

As problem-based learning (PBL) techniques play an increasingly important role in medical school curricula, programs will require an understanding of which variables enhance or inhibit learning. Through a retrospective study of an "experiment" in which male and female medical students were separated into single-gender tutorial groups, the authors describe gender differences in the styles of participation and subjective experi-ence of men and women in mixed-gender and single-gender tutorial groups. The women students noted an increase in their comfort level in the all-women tutorial group and felt that learning about their own styles in this group helped them participate more effec-tively in coed groups and later on in other professional settings. The authors make rec-ommendations concerning the implementation of PBL in medical school curricula.