Implementation of case-based collaborative learning in radiology residency: experience report of an international...

Contemporary medical education increasingly incorporates active learning strategies to promote integration between foundational sciences and clinical practice and to support the development of diagnostic reasoning. Case-Based Collaborative Learning (CBCL) combines principles of team-based learning, problem-based learning, and case-based learning through structured preparation and collaborative discussion of clinical cases. In this context, this experience report describes the adaptation and implementation of a CBCL-based educational activity focused on clinical-radiological reasoning in suspected spinal infections within a radiology residency program in Brazil.

The activity was conducted in a radiology residency program at a public hospital in Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil, involving 20 residents from different years of training. Participants received preparatory materials covering anatomy, microbiology, pathophysiology, and imaging guidelines from the American College of Radiology before the face-to-face session. The 90-minute CBCL session was conducted in small groups of four participants and organized around clinical cases involving discitis-osteomyelitis, epidural abscess, and differential radiological diagnoses. Each case followed a structured three-step sequence: individual reflection, small-group discussion, and facilitator-led plenary synthesis. Perceived outcomes: The CBCL structure was feasible to implement and was well accepted by participants. Learners demonstrated active participation and high engagement throughout the activity. Immediate feedback suggested perceived contributions to collaborative learning, conceptual integration, and clinical-radiological reasoning. No formal post-intervention knowledge assessment or objective evaluation of educational effectiveness was performed. Most participants reported positive perceptions regarding engagement and collaborative reasoning.

For future educational research that CBCL may represent a feasible and pedagogically promising strategy for radiology residency education. The approach supported active participation and integration between foundational and clinical knowledge within a collaborative learning environment. Future studies using objective educational outcomes and longitudinal evaluation are needed to further investigate its educational impact.