Team-based vs. problem-based learning in undergraduate surgery: a randomized controlled trial in Saudi Arabia

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Pedagogical Research

Background:

• Team-Based Learning (TBL) and Problem-Based Learning (PBL) are established pedagogical methods in medical education.
• Evaluating the comparative effectiveness of TBL versus PBL is crucial for optimizing clinical training.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the effectiveness of Team-Based Learning (TBL) against Problem-Based Learning (PBL) in final-year clinical medical students.
• To assess secondary objectives including problem-solving, independent learning, and student engagement.

Main Methods:

• An interventional study involving 66 final-year clinical students at the University of Tabuk, Faculty of Medicine.
• Students were divided into a TBL group (34 students) and a PBL group (32 students).
• Knowledge was assessed via a 14-item multiple-choice question (MCQ) summative test, with statistical analysis using independent-samples t-tests (p < 0.05).

Main Results:

• The TBL group scored an average of 9.94 (SD=2.28) and the PBL group scored 8.84 (SD=2.24) on the summative test; this difference was not statistically significant (p=0.053).
• Within the TBL group, post-test scores (9.94, SD=2.35) significantly improved from pre-test scores (7.42, SD=2.50), P=0.001.
• TBL demonstrated effectiveness in enhancing knowledge acquisition through its pedagogical loop.

Conclusions:

• Both TBL and PBL methodologies resulted in comparable summative knowledge outcomes for final-year medical students.
• Systematic implementation of TBL can enhance student knowledge acquisition.
• Final-year medical students expressed a preference for both PBL and TBL learning approaches.