ABSTRACT
To evaluate the academic satisfaction and importance among traditional learning [TL] and problem based learning [PBL] medical students, and to further evaluate the areas of concern in the academic education from the student's point of view. A cross sectional study was conducted at the College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from May to June 2012. The survey questionnaires were self-administered and consisted of mainly 6 sections: teaching, learning, supervision, course organization, information technology [IT] facilities, and development of skills. A total of 92 TL [males: 66 [71.7%]; females: 26 [28.3%]], and 108 PBL [males: 84 [77.8%]; females: 24 [22.1%]], with a mean age of 21.3 +/- 1.3 [TL], and 20.7 +/- 1.0 [PBL] were included in the study. The overall satisfaction rate was higher in the PBL students when compared with TL students in: teaching [84.7%/60.3%]; learning [81.4%/64.5%]; supervision [80%/51.5%]; course organization [69.3%/46.9%]; IT facilities [74.0%/58.9%]; and development of skills [79.1%/53.9%]. There was statistical significance difference in academic satisfaction comparing both groups of students [p