Medical Student’s Feedback towards Problem Based Learning and Interactive Lectures as a Teaching and Learning Method in an Outcome-Based Curriculum

Objective: To explore the medical student’s opinion about the effectiveness of problem-based learning and interactive lectures as a teaching and learning method. Method: The cross-sectional study was conducted at the College of Medicine, Majmaah University from April 2016 to June 2016. Results: Total 120 undergraduate medical students were enrolled in this study; out of these 97 students filled the questionnaire form for an interactive lecture and 112 completed the questionnaire form for PBL based learning. The response rate for interactive lectures was 80% and PBL was 93%. The comparison of the responses between the groups was done using independent samples Mann- Whitney U-test. Among the questions of VARK learning styles, the significance was found in PBL as a tool for auditory learning and reading and writing skills over interactive lectures. Conclusion: The study showed a preference of students towards PBL over interactive lectures in a system based hybrid curriculum where both of them used an instructional approach. The merit of the interactive lecture cannot be underrated in the system based integrated as evident from the previously conducted educational research. Based on the findings, there is a need to revisit the process of interactive lecture in our study settings. Exploration is required for the alignment of the assessment tools with the learning outcomes of the PBL.

Effect of centchroman on cellular and humoral immunity.

Centchroman (Ormeloxifene) is a nonsteroidal selective estrogen receptor modulator that is used as once a week oral contraceptive agent. The effect of centchroman on the immune system was evaluated by using different experimental models such as carbon clearance test, cyclophosphamide induced neutropenia, neutrophil adhesion test, effect on serum immunoglobulins, mice lethality test and indirect haemagglutination test. The first three models namely carbon clearance test, cyclophosphamide induced neutropenia and neutrophil adhesion test were used to study cell mediated immunity while the latter three models were used to see the effect on humoral immunity. Centchroman was administered orally at a dose of 5 mg/kg and levamisole (2.5 mg/kg/ p.o) was used as standard drug. Centchroman significantly increased the levels of serum immunoglobulins and also prevented the mortality induced by bovine Pasteurella multocida in mice. It also increased significantly the circulating antibody litre in indirect haemagglunation test. However, it did not show any significant effect on phagocytic index in carbon clearance assay and nor did influence the adhesion of neutrophils in the neutrophil adhesion test. Centchroman was also not effective in preventing the cyclophosphamde induced neutropenia. Hence, it was concluded that centchroman increases humoral immunity with no significant effect on cell mediated immunity.