Team-Based Learning Among Health Care Professionals: A Systematic Review

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Health Professions Education
• Pedagogy

Background:

• Team-based learning (TBL) emerged in the 1970s to address faculty-student ratio challenges.
• TBL contrasts with traditional didactic models, shifting students from passive listeners to active participants.
• Educators act as facilitators in TBL, promoting peer-to-peer problem-solving.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a comprehensive systematic review on the effectiveness of team-based learning.
• To evaluate TBL's impact on academic, clinical, and communication outcomes in healthcare professions.
• To adhere to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature search conducted across PubMed, Scopus, Embase, and PubMed Central.
• Study selection involved dual screening by two authors, with conflicts resolved by a third.
• Bibliographic review and bias assessment using the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) critical appraisal tool were performed.

Main Results:

• Team-based learning participants demonstrated superior performance in academic, clinical, and communication domains.
• TBL was associated with enhanced learner engagement, collaboration, and overall satisfaction.
• Findings were consistent with previous meta-analyses but presented as more comprehensive and up-to-date.

Conclusions:

• Team-based learning is a pragmatic and effective pedagogical approach for healthcare professionals.
• TBL yields better academic, clinical, and communication outcomes across various medical and allied health professions.
• The study supports TBL as a superior learning strategy in contemporary healthcare education.