Interstitial Lung Disease: Comparing Lecture and Large Group Case-Based Learning for Preclinical Medical Students

Introduction and objective Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is a subject with which preclinical medical students often struggle. Because case-based learning (CBL) engages students in discussions centered around complex clinical scenarios, it may be effective for teaching ILD to preclinical medical students by fostering the development of critical thinking and clinical reasoning skills. Methods Lecture-based learning on ILD in the second-year Respiratory System course was replaced with a large group CBL session. Students worked in a large group team-based CBL (TB-CBL) to answer questions about the etiology, presentation, diagnostic radiology images, pathophysiology, and management of various ILDs. Performance on ILD-related final exam questions from Cohort A (Class of 2023, lecture) was compared with Cohort B (Class of 2025, TB-CBL). Student satisfaction was assessed through an anonymous end-of-course survey (5-point Likert). Results Mean performance on ILD-related final exam questions was 85.4 (SD: 16.5) for Cohort B (TB-CBL) vs. 80.0 (SD: 17.6) for Cohort A (lecture). Mean overall satisfaction was 3.31 (SD: 1.37), with 87.6%, 88.4%, and 87.6% agreeing or strongly agreeing with the statements "The session was well organized," "The session contributed to my learning," and "The session was a valuable use of my time," respectively. Conclusion Students participating in TB-CBL scored higher on ILD-related final exam questions compared with those who received lecture-based learning of the same material. Student satisfaction was acceptable but lower than expected. This TB-CBL session may be adapted at other institutions aiming to utilize active learning methods to teach the principles of diagnosis and management of ILD to preclinical medical students.