Integrating Problem-Based Learning Into an Internal Medicine Residency Curriculum

Article Figures & Data

Table 1.

Problem-Based Learning (PBL) Clinical Case Content Assessment, n=40

	Clinical Case
Survey Question	Chest Pain	Shortness of Breath	Abdominal Pain	Encephalopathy
This PBL was clinically relevant.	4.74 (0.86)	4.79 (0.83)	4.73 (0.83)	4.96 (0.21)
This PBL challenged me to think critically.	4.70 (0.88)	4.67 (0.87)	4.77 (0.82)	4.83 (0.39)
This PBL aided in learning medical management of patients.	4.70 (0.88)	4.63 (0.88)	4.73 (0.83)	4.83 (0.39)
I found the teaching points and objectives helpful in answering clinical questions.	4.61 (0.89)	4.65 (0.88)	4.56 (0.92)	4.78 (0.42)

Notes: Response options were the following: 1=strongly disagree; 2=disagree; 3=neutral; 4=agree; 5=strongly agree. Data are presented as mean (SD).

Table 2.

Assessment of Problem-Based Learning (PBL) Clinical Case Likeability, Feasibility, and Effectiveness, n=40

Assessment Category/Survey Question	Mean (SD)
Likeability
I enjoyed the PBL sessions.^a	4.69 (0.52)
Feasibility
I would have rathered use my time for some other residency-related work or activity during this time.^a	2.49 (1.15)
Effectiveness
Since the PBL sessions, how often have you thought about the material discussed during PBLs when treating patients on wards?^b	3.51 (0.70)
In your experience, how effective is PBL learning compared to lectures?^c	4.36 (0.59)
In your experience, how effective is PBL learning compared to morning report?^c	3.61 (0.80)
In your experience, how effective is PBL learning compared to hospital rounds?^c	3.47 (0.84)
In your experience, how effective is PBL learning compared to brief lectures aka “chalk talks”?^c	3.49 (0.74)

↵^aResponse options were the following: 1=strongly disagree; 2=disagree; 3=neutral; 4=agree; 5=strongly agree.
↵^bResponse options were the following: 1=never; 2=rarely; 3=sometimes; 4=often; 5=all of the time.
↵^cResponse options were the following: 1=much less effective; 2=less effective; 3=the same; 4=more effective; 5=much more effective.