Influence of Problem-based Learning Method on Learning Outcomes in Medical Curriculum

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Pharmacology Training

Background:

• Problem-based learning (PBL) is a student-centered educational strategy focused on active learning through problem analysis.
• Traditional lectures are teacher-centered, potentially limiting active student engagement and deep learning.
• PBL fosters cognitive skills and complex thinking, enabling students to justify their knowledge.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of incorporating Problem-based learning (PBL) into the traditional curriculum for second-year MBBS students.
• To assess the effect of PBL on student knowledge acquisition and examination performance in Pharmacology.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective study analyzing data from three internal assessment examinations (IAEs) for 151 second-year MBBS students.
• Comparison of examination results between assessments with and without PBL components.
• Statistical analysis using Wilcoxon Mann-Whitney test and ANOVA.

Main Results:

• Statistically significant differences were observed when comparing IAE-1 with IAE-3 (p=0.020) and between IAE-2/IAE-3 with PBL (p=0.001).
• A notable increase in the pass percentage was recorded in IAE-3 (including PBL) compared to IAE-1 (traditional lecture only).

Conclusions:

• Problem-based learning (PBL) serves as an effective tool to enhance student knowledge when used alongside traditional teaching methods.
• The integration of PBL demonstrably improved academic performance in Pharmacology for medical students.