Clinical Medical Student Perceptions about problem-Learning and Lecture - based Learning

Abstract

Clinical Medical Student Perceptions about problem-Learning and Lecture - based Learning

Rita    Paisarntantiwong       MD, MHPE*

*Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, BMA Medical College and Vajira Hospitall

Objective: To assess the clinical medical student perceptions about problem-based learning (PBL) and lecture-based learning (LBL).

Study design: Cross-sectional descriptive study.

Subjects: A total of 290 of fourth-, fifth-and sixth-year medical students from Faculty of Medicine Srinakharinwirot University and BMA Medical College and Vajira Hospital who were studying at BMA Medical College and Vajira Hospital in academic year 1999.

Methods: Self-administered questionnaires were collected in fourth-, fifth-and sixth-year classrooms at the end of the academic year during February 25 and March 3, 2000.  The questionnaires consisted of three parts.  Part I, sought demographic information on each student.  Part II, students were asked to give their perceptions about PBL and LBL using 5 point Likert-type scales for eight items.  Part III, students were asked to provide what they liked best and disliked about PBL and LBL and suggestions to make the PBL and LBL sessions effective.

Main outcome measures: Medical student perceptions and their comments about PBL and LBL.

Results: The questionnaires were completed by 99.7% of students.  The medical students were satisfied with both PBL and LBL methods. They considered both PBL and LBL to be effective styles of learning for themselves and believed both methods facilitated their learning process (p>0.05).  However, they considered PBL to be more important in many ways for medical education than LBL.  Compared to LBL, PBL motivated them to use additional resource, was more enjoyable, and provided them with adequate knowledge related to problem-solving skills in clinical practice (p