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Active Learning in Biostatistics Education for Medical Students: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
Néstor Israel Quinapanta Castro1,2, Jorman F Choez-A2,3, Andres F Orbea4
1Department of Doctoral Studies, Faculty of Philosophy and Letters, Universidad de Buenos Aires (UBA), Buenos Aires, ARG.
Cureus
|April 23, 2026
Summary
Active learning methods significantly enhance medical students' biostatistics academic performance and satisfaction compared to traditional teaching. These findings support integrating active learning for improved biostatistics education and evidence-based practice.
Area of Science:
- Medical Education
- Biostatistics Pedagogy
- Evidence-Based Medicine
Background:
- Biostatistics is crucial for medical training and evidence-based decision-making.
- Many students struggle with biostatistics, leading to anxiety and poor academic outcomes.
- Traditional teaching methods may not effectively engage all medical students in biostatistics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review and meta-analyze the effectiveness of active learning methodologies versus traditional methods for teaching biostatistics to undergraduate medical students.
- To assess the impact on academic performance, student satisfaction, and perceived knowledge.
- To provide evidence-based recommendations for improving biostatistics education in medical schools.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review and meta-analysis following PRISMA 2020 guidelines.
- Searched PubMed/MEDLINE, Web of Science, and Google Scholar (2000-2026) for relevant studies.
- Analyzed 17 studies (3,702 students) using standardized mean difference (SMD) and random effects models; assessed risk of bias.
Main Results:
- Active learning significantly improved academic performance (SMD = 0.83, p = 0.0003) across regions (America, Asia, Europe).
- Interventions showed significant improvements in pre-post assessments (SMD = 2.11, p < 0.0001).
- Higher perceived knowledge (SMD = 0.64, p = 0.009) and student satisfaction (SMD = 0.85, p < 0.00001) were observed with active learning.
Conclusions:
- Active learning methodologies are demonstrably effective in enhancing biostatistics learning outcomes for undergraduate medical students.
- The findings suggest a shift towards active learning strategies to improve engagement and comprehension in biostatistics.
- While effective, the results should be interpreted cautiously due to a moderate to serious risk of bias in some included studies.
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