Active learning for fellows: The hematopathology "unknown case"

The pediatric hematology/oncology fellowship program at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia set out to create a case-based learning curriculum for common hematologic malignancies that would apply principles of adult learning theory and improve fellows' retention of information in a supportive, goal-oriented learning environment. A framework we employed in developing this curriculum is that of "flow theory," which parallels many of the tenets of adult learning theory. After implementing this curriculum, which we call "the unknown case," the percentage of fellows correctly identifying a common hematopathologic diagnosis improved from 50% to 85%.