Teaching learning methods

Rakesh Biswas MD, Professor,

Department of Medicine, People's
College of Medical Sciences,
Bhopal, India,

Medical education workshop

People’s College of Medical Sciences

21st October 2008
Problems in Medical Education:

Too much information,

too little time,

too many students in crowded rooms, and

exams that discourage real learning.

Advan. Physiol. Edu. 31: 283-287, 2007

 How we learn/learnt…
When we were medical students…

And now…are we still learning or just

teaching?
Teaching learning theory in medical
education suggests that medical students
and physicians will learn best when learning

 Is in the context of patient care,

 Answers their questions,
 Is not directly applicable to their work,
 Does not take too much time.


“Half of what you are taught as medical students

will in 10 years have been shown to be wrong.”
And the trouble is none of your teachers know
which half.”

So the most important thing to learn is “how to

learn on your own”.

Dr. Sydney Burwell, Dean Harvard Medical

School In: Evidence based medicine, Sackett et
al, 2000: 31
 Top down and bottom up

Approaches to teaching learning in

Medical education
The old way of learning, was
knowing what you should know.

BMJ 2003;327:1430-1433
Now the way of learning is knowing
what you don't know, not feeling
bad about it, and knowing how to
find out.

BMJ 2003;327:1430-1433
 Uncertainty was discouraged and
ignorance avoided.

Now, uncertainty is legitimized and

questioning encouraged

BMJ 2003;327:1430-1433
Medical education was learning by
humiliation, with naming, shaming,
and blaming. Now, students are
encouraged to question received
wisdom.

BMJ 2003;327:1430-1433
Active learning means:

1) increasing study activity during exam

time

2) learning as a self directed student

generated participatory activity

3) Studying must know factual content

and topping exams

4) Learning and accepting the content

offered by teachers
 Teaching/learning methods
Mass instruction
(Conventional lectures and taught lessons;
Film and video presentations;
Educational broadcasts; mass practical work
Individualized learning
(Directed study of texts, study of open-learning
materials; mediated self-instruction; PBLs.)

Group learning
(Class discussions; PBLs, seminars; group
tutorials; games and simulations; group projects;
etc.
 Traditional structured text book
learning
Background
…is a …disorder characterized by
increased…
Pathophysiology
…is an acquired abnormality that involves
the…
History
The clinical manifestations of … are
 PEOPLE”S COLLEGE OF MEDICAL SCIENCES
DEPARTMENT OF MEDICINE
SESSIONAL EXAMINATION

Time: 3 Hours
Max. Marks: 100
? Answer all questions
? Answer each section in a separate answer book.

SECTION – ‘A’

1) A 37-year-old lady, has come with 3 months history of

generalized ill health and a dragging sensation in her left
hypochondria. On examination her spleen is massively
enlarged.

a) What are the possible causes?

b) Describe investigations and treatment.

(4+3+3)
 Differentials:
 Myeloproliferative disorders
 Infections
 Storage disorders
 Hemolytic anemia
 In Problem based learning the role of
the teacher is:

 That of an active enthusiast in student

learning
 Active instructor who explains all their
student’s queries
 That of a facilitator who talks only
minimally
 Passive mentor who doesn’t take much
interest
 Summary:

Learning points-
Create your own method
Summary:

Medical education can be patient

centered

Ample content in our day to day

practice

Formative Assessment needs to be

stressed
 To teach individual self-directed
learning competencies, the
following are important:

 (1) Situate learners to experience "real" problems;

 (2) encourage learners to reflect on their own

performance;

 (3) Create an educational atmosphere in clinical training

situations.

 (4) Encourage learners to memorize factual content that

is not contextual.
 Feedback
Please let me know your thoughts:

1) Your idea of an ideal teaching learning

method
2) What were the positive and negative
aspects of this presentation?
3) Would you go about implementing
patient centered learning in your
curriculum and how?