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Shaping Perceptions of Basic Science Education by Utilizing Real Patient Encounters.
Emine Ercikan Abali1,2, Hanin Rashid1, H Liesel Copeland1
1Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscataway, NJ 08854 USA.
Medical Science Educator
|August 30, 2021
Summary
Interprofessional case discussions (ICDs) significantly improve medical students' basic science learning and retention. This teaching method enhances clinical understanding and student motivation, fostering a positive learning environment.
Area of Science:
- Medical Education
- Basic Science Integration
- Clinical Reasoning
Background:
- Integrating basic science with clinical practice is a persistent challenge in medical education.
- Early clinical exposure can enhance basic science understanding, clinical skills, and reaffirm students' career motivations.
- Medical schools increasingly aim to incorporate more patient interaction in the first year.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of interprofessional case discussions (ICDs) in enhancing the basic science learning experience for first-year medical students.
- To compare student satisfaction with ICDs against other case-based teaching modalities.
Main Methods:
- Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School implemented ICDs, featuring lectures integrating basic science with disease, followed by discussions with patients, families, healthcare teams, and students.
- Student satisfaction was assessed via course evaluations (2013-2016) using quantitative and qualitative analyses.
- Long-term basic science retention was measured in third- and fourth-year students, and teaching modalities were ranked.
Main Results:
- Students reported significantly higher satisfaction with ICDs (93%) compared to Flipped Classrooms (66%) and Jigsaws (65%) for reinforcing concepts and integrating material (p < .001).
- Qualitative analysis revealed student comments centered on enjoyment, learning/retention, clinical relevance of basic science, and reaffirmation of their passion for medicine.
- Follow-up assessments showed significantly greater retention of the biochemical basis of diseases discussed in ICDs.
Conclusions:
- ICDs effectively integrate basic science into clinical contexts, uniquely demonstrating interprofessional care and the patient's/family's experience of illness.
- This modality fosters a positive learning environment, enhancing student comfort, rapport with patients and providers, and motivation to learn basic science.
- ICDs represent a superior method for improving basic science learning and retention in medical education.