ABSTRACT
A major problem in the teaching of the preclinical and paraclinical sciences to medical students is that courses are often taught in isolation from the clinical programme and students have difficulty relating the different types of learning experiences. This paper introduces case analysis as method designed to overcome this problem. The casebook method is popular with students and staff members and is a practical way of encouraging independent and motivated learning in the paraclinical sciences.
Subject(s)
Education, Medical , Teaching/methods , Microbiology/educationABSTRACT
Practical work is alive and well, but very different from the traditional 'exercises' and 'demonstrations' of 20 years ago. In the first of two articles the author describes occasions on which laboratory teaching can be most successfully used, ways in which laboratory instructions can be written and preparatory work organized, together with methods of monitoring progress. Examples are given of ways in which effective laboratory work for medical students can be designed.
ABSTRACT
In this second article on laboratory teaching in medicine, the authors discuss the design of laboratory manuals and displays, the design of laboratory exercises to meet important goals of medical teaching, and the sequencing of curricula involving laboratory work. Readers are encouraged to consider laboratory classes in their own disciplines and within their own institutions, and to answer the questions set out in a check list provided by the authors at the end of the article.
