Field testing of a series of group-learning units in pharmacology based on a patient-oriented problem-solving approach found that the units were well crafted and that students had higher scores on tests of their knowledge of pharmacology after they had used the units. (Author/DB)

Critical review of the literature on problem-based learning (PBL) in medical education focuses on: (1) the credibility of claims (both empirical and theoretical) about the ties between PBL and educational outcomes and (2) the magnitude of the effects. Concludes there is no convincing evidence that PBL improves knowledge base and clinical…

A University of Limburg (Netherlands) medical school study investigated the relationship between student-generated learning issues and faculty instructional objectives (i.e., the effectiveness of the problems posed) in a problem-centered obstetrics and child development curriculum. Subjects were 120 students and 12 faculty. Results indicated…

Review of experimental evidence concerning the effectiveness of problem-based learning suggests that the approach may not improve content-free problem solving; may initially reduce learning levels but fosters long-term retention; may enhance transfer of concepts and integration of concepts into clinical problems; enhances intrinsic interest of…

A study investigated differences in National Board of Medical Examiners Part I scores for students at the College of Human Medicine (Michigan) in two preclinical medicine curricula, one problem based and one traditional, during four distinct periods. Results illustrate the difficulty of comparing the curricula, given revisions over time. (MSE)

A study investigated reasoning processes of medical students in schools with different curricular formats, a conventional curriculum with basic science taught before clinical training and a problem-based curriculum with basic science taught in the context of clinical problems. Strengths and weaknesses of each curriculum type emerged. (Author/MSE)

A survey of 882 medical school faculty serving as problem-based learning (PBL) tutors found that most felt that PBL and traditional curricula were approximately equally efficient for learning; PBL rated higher in student interest, faculty interest, personal satisfaction, student reasoning, and preparation for clinical rotations; and traditional…

A study of 88 students in a problem-based surgery clerkship found significant gain in knowledge level, found to be linked to improved clinical performance. Additional findings included peers were good judges of students' knowledge and skills; faculty were not good judges of changes in student skills or ability to apply them. (MSE)

A survey of 2 medical school classes at Dalhousie University (Canada) compared student attitudes toward the conventional (n=57 students) and problem-based (n=73) curricula. Students in the problem-based group had more positive attitudes toward the learning environment and curriculum, but were less positive on a student-interaction scale. No…

Performance by University of New Mexico students on the National Board of Medical Examiners exam was compared for two curriculum tracks, conventional (n=508) and problem-centered (n=167). Results suggest that the more teacher-centered and structured curriculum prepared students better for Part I of the exam, and the student-centered, problem-based…

A Dutch study compared the clinical diagnostic skills of 612 medical students educated at schools with problem-based, integrated, or conventional curricula. Students responded to 30 case histories epidemiologically representative of Dutch society and all organ systems. Students trained within problem-based and integrated curricula made more…

Evaluation of problem-based learning tutorials with 70 medical students found that, when tutors had expertise in the clinical cases studied, student groups generated twice as many learning issues, and issues were three times more congruent with the case objectives. Additionally, groups with expert tutors spent more time overcoming identified…

A study compared the performances of Wake Forest University (North Carolina) medical students rotating through an internal medicine program, 88 in a problem-based curriculum and 364 in a lecture-based curriculum. Students in the problem-based curriculum received significantly higher ratings from house staff and faculty on four clinical rating…

A study evaluated 35 research projects from 1970-92 comparing problem-based learning in medical and nursing education with more traditional methods of instruction. It was found that results generally supported the superiority of the problem-based learning approach for both affective outcomes and academic performance. (Author/MSE)

Issues in problem-based learning in medical education, revealed in a literature review, are discussed including basic and clinical science examination performance; thinking processes and study behaviors promoted; learning environment; student progress and satisfaction; graduate perceptions; choice of residency and specialty; faculty satisfaction;…