Combined application of Case-based learning and problem-based learning in internal medicine course

Objective In view of the difficulty for students to learn the clinical courses and the unsatisfactory of problem-based learning(PBL) in clinical course in ordinary medical college,We studied the effect of combined application of case-based learning(CBL) and PBL in clinical medicine course,and probed how to make the PBL teaching more according with the requirement of the syllabus. Methods The new formal PBL was based on teaching of integrated curricula of clinical curriculum.Taking PBL of internal medicine as example,we improved the traditional PBL in some aspects which including selections of cases and tutors,teaching procedure and the role of tutors.We appointed the senior doctors as PBL tutors and the PBL cases were selected carefully by the tutors.We added' basic knowledge reviewing’and 'basic knowledge intensifying’ teaching steps to improve the effect of PBL and made the PBL teaching more according with the syllabus and learning target. Results Both CBL and PBL are learner-centered instructional approaches.They can enhance students’motivations and group performance.Compare with the simple PBL,the combined application of CBL and PBL is favorable toovercome some defects in simple PBL,such as it is not around closely the learning outlines,distracting the students from the learning objective,taking too much time and so on. Conclusion However,the implementation of simple PBL in clinical courses is facing many changes,the combination of CBL and PBL can improve the efficiency of PBL.Combining multiple teaching methods in clinical courses in medical students of ordinary medical college,especially in senior is more efficient.Both reviewing of important knowledge and exercising of applying ability are beneficial to improve the efficiency of PBL and the coherence between the processes of PBL and teaching target.