Team-Based Learning in Physician Assistant/Associate Education: A Mixed Scoping Review.

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Active Learning Strategies
• Physician Assistant Programs

Background:

• Team-based learning (TBL) is an active learning method introduced in medical education in the early 2000s.
• The effectiveness of TBL in physician assistant (PA) education remains largely undemonstrated.
• This study aimed to review existing literature on TBL in PA education and highlight areas for future research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a scoping review of existing literature on Team-based Learning (TBL) in Physician Assistant (PA) education.
• To identify and synthesize current findings regarding TBL's impact on PA students.
• To underscore the necessity for further investigation into TBL's efficacy in PA programs.

Main Methods:

• A mixed scoping review methodology was employed.
• Searches were conducted across CINAHL Complete, Embase, ERIC, and PubMed databases.
• Six studies, including four original articles and two conference abstracts, were included after screening 49 identified articles.

Main Results:

• Available data suggest TBL is generally beneficial in PA education contexts.
• Studies reported positive outcomes in TBL course results, examination grades, and student confidence.
• Interpretation of results requires caution due to the limited number of studies and varied outcome measures.

Conclusions:

• Team-based learning (TBL) demonstrates potential benefits for Physician Assistant (PA) education.
• Further research is essential to validate TBL's effectiveness across various PA programs.
• If proven effective, TBL could enhance examination performance, course grades, knowledge retention, and student confidence.