BACKGROUND: Team-based learning (TBL) is an innovative instructional method that fosters active learning. It has been shown to improve student performance in some health care education courses. AIM: To examine the effect of teaching pharmacology using a TBL approach on second year medical students' satisfaction and performance. METHODS: A modified TBL method was used in two case-based discussion sessions of the second year pharmacology course: a relatively easy drug metabolism/pharmacogenetics session and a more challenging pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics (PK/PD) session. Individual and group answers to all questions were recorded, and an evaluation form was collected for each session. Class performance on a summative quiz was compared to previous years. RESULTS: Students provided positive feedback. Group performance was better than individual performance during the TBL exercises. TBL was less successful when the questions were very difficult, with a difficulty range of 30-70% being the most appropriate. Performance of the class on the pharmacology summative quiz showed significant improvement over that in previous years in the PK/PD part, but was unchanged in other topics taught traditionally. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that TBL provides a better outcome for students, and provide insight into appropriate design of TBL exercises.
BACKGROUND: Team-based learning (TBL) is an innovative instructional method that fosters active learning. It has been shown to improve student performance in some health care education courses. AIM: To examine the effect of teaching pharmacology using a TBL approach on second year medical students' satisfaction and performance. METHODS: A modified TBL method was used in two case-based discussion sessions of the second year pharmacology course: a relatively easy drug metabolism/pharmacogenetics session and a more challenging pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics (PK/PD) session. Individual and group answers to all questions were recorded, and an evaluation form was collected for each session. Class performance on a summative quiz was compared to previous years. RESULTS: Students provided positive feedback. Group performance was better than individual performance during the TBL exercises. TBL was less successful when the questions were very difficult, with a difficulty range of 30-70% being the most appropriate. Performance of the class on the pharmacology summative quiz showed significant improvement over that in previous years in the PK/PD part, but was unchanged in other topics taught traditionally. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that TBL provides a better outcome for students, and provide insight into appropriate design of TBL exercises.
Authors: Gonzalo A Carrasco; Kathryn C Behling; Matthew Gentile; Bradford D Fischer; Thomas N Ferraro Journal: Naunyn Schmiedebergs Arch Pharmacol Date: 2021-06-07 Impact factor: 3.000
Authors: Khurshid Anwar; Abdul A Shaikh; Muhammad R Sajid; Peter Cahusac; Norah A Alarifi; Ahlam Al Shedoukhy Journal: Med Educ Online Date: 2015-07-30
Authors: Elizabeth A Godin; Stephanie V Wormington; Tony Perez; Michael M Barger; Kate E Snyder; Laura Smart Richman; Rochelle Schwartz-Bloom; Lisa Linnenbrink-Garcia Journal: CBE Life Sci Educ Date: 2015 Impact factor: 3.325