Problem-based learning (PBL) at Mount Hope: the student's view - abstract

ABSTRACT

The new curriculum at the Mount Hope Medical School, Trinidad, has introduced many novel concepts in medical teaching in the Caribbean. The preclinical exposure has been increased to 3 years where problem-based learning (PBL) is employed and introduction to clinical skills is done in a skills laboratory rather than on the wards. Fewer lectures are given and more (applied) basic science education is imparted via PBL sessions where 6 to 8 students are assigned to a tutor. Students are exposed to 2 rather than 3 years' clinical experience on the wards. In order to assess the students' views of this curriculum, a questionnaire was designed and given to 62 students of the class of 1994 after they had completed their first clinical clerkship. Data from 41 (66 per cent) students were analysed, using a personal computer. Most students (82 per cent) preferred to shorten their preclinical exposure to 2 years or less, and felt they could learn the same amount of basic science in the time. They preferred to have more lectures (68 per cent) and to have more tutor participation in PBL sessions (80 per cent). All students felt learning clinical skills on the wards was far superior to developing these in the skills laboratory. In view of these findings, consideration should be given to reviewing the curriculum, and further studies should be done to continue assessment of curriculum changes (AU)