Problem-Based Learning (PBL) Practice

in Medical & Health Sciences Programs

Dr.Hameed
 Learning is student centered- The students have to
analyze problems, formulate their own learning
goals and study (independently) of teachers.
Characteristics of PBL

Learning occurs in small student groups.

Problems form the organizing focus and

stimulus for learning.

Problems are vehicle for the development of

clinical problem-solving skills

New information are acquired through self-

directed learning.

Subjects are presented in multidisciplinary,

thematic, and integrated way.
 • Medical education department:

• Arranges the weekly time tables.

• Designs the problems (objectives

hidden from the students).

• Follows the assessment of the

System students.

Design: • Small groups of students 10-12 in

number.

• Tutors: Every group of the students

has its own tutor.

• Year coordinator: Cooperate

between the tutors and the medical

education department.
 The tutor role
The tutor's main task is to promote both the learning process of the
students and their mutual co-operation. The role of the tutor as a
guide and not as a teacher is to:

• Play the "great clarifier" role.

• Facilitate the learning process.

• Mobilize group dynamics.
• Enhance analysis and discussion.

• Help the students achieve their learning objectives.

• Act as intermediary between faculty (year coordinator) and students (monitor,
evaluate and feedback).
To achieve such role, the tutor should be
equipped with the following:

Knowledge

Personal
attributes

Skills
 Student Centered…
the students actively participate in the planning of their curriculum.

represent the education committee.

participate in the process of identification of the community's health needs and in

the prioritization of the health problems for educational use.

They are trained to be self-learners through the PBL approach, they assess their own
performance in their tutorial classes and field work, and they evaluate their tutors
and coordinators.

They are encouraged to evaluate the curriculum and to criticize the whole
educational system in their elective studies and student councils.
‘3’Phasesof Undergraduate Course

Phase-1 (one year) deals

with intrauterine life,
infancy, childhood,
adolescence, adulthood and
geriatrics.

Phase-2 (2 years) is
Phase-3 (3 years) is the
based on organ
clinical phase.
systems.
The problems are loaded in favour of the basic sciences
in the first 2 phases and more clinical in the 3rd phase.

The system is a block-wise system. Each year consists of

6 blocks in different fields.

YEAR-1:

• B1- Introduction to Medicine (4W)

• B2- Maternity - Female reproductive system (4W)
• B3- Infancy -Breast Feeding (4W)
• B4 - Immunology (4W)
• B5 - Adulthood - Male reproductive system (4W)
• B6 - Adulthood – Male genital system (4W)
• During B2 and B3 – the general anatomy and the general embryology
are taught.
• B1- Infectious diseases (4W)
• B2- Oncology (4W)
• B3- Haematology (4W)
• B4- Lymphatic system (3W)
• B5- Cardiovascular (5W)
• B6 - Respiratory (4W)
• B1 - Musculoskeletal system • Applied anatomy of the chest
(4W) and abdomen + Medicine,
• B2 - Neurosciences -1 (4W) Surgery, Paediatric and
• B3- Neurosciences-2 (4W) Obstetric.
• B4- Endocrine system (3W)
• B5 -Urinary system (4W)
• B6 -Digestive system (5W)

YEAR-2: YEAR-3: YEAR-4:

• Eye, Ear and Orthopedics, • Rotation in the 4 main branches of

Forensic medicine, medicine (Medicine, Surgery,
Psychiatry, Urology, Neonate, Paediatric and Gynaecology and
Obstetrics) + Primary health care
Gynaecology , Dermatology (vaccination, Family planning,
and Cardiothoracic. Health education in the
community)
• Community projects submitted
every year + Primary health
projects (1/weekly)
YEAR-5: YEAR-6:
 Assessments
During D1 + D2 (Discussion-1 & Discussion-2).
• 5.0 marks for D1+D2
• 2.5 marks for FT
• 2.5 marks for skills
• 10.0 marks for theory
• 5.0 marks for practical
Weekly assignment (report).

The assessment is based on block-wise system. So after each

block:

Total 25 marks

During final exam 2 blocks usually combined with each other e.g.
B1+B6 (25 marks for each block. So the total 50 marks) + 50 marks
the Blocks (1+6) assessment. So total 100 marks.

The whole system of learning has 7 steps; 5 steps are covered

during D1 and 2 steps are covered during D2.
 Discussion-1
Identification of the
problem (by reading and
understanding the
provided problem by the
medical education
department).

Listing the Identification of

difficult terms
needs. and words.

Recognition of the
objectives Analysis of
(according to the the problem.
analysis).
 Discussion-2

Gathering of the information from different sources;

lectures, websites, audiovisual aids, books, journals
etc.

Discussing the acquired information within the small

group discussion and present the final obtained
knowledge in individual written report or
assignment.
 Sample Problem

Year 3/Block 4/ Week 21/ Problem 3

• Saeed, a third year medical student, visited the pediatric ward. During the round with the
pediatrician, he saw Ali, a 10 year old boy with puffy eyes and ankle edema. He noted also
that the boy's urine, which was collected in urine bag, was red.
• On taking history, Ali's father clarified that he suffered from sore throat 3 weeks ago and the
culture of the throat swab revealed bacterial growth. After a five day course of amoxicillin, he
cured completely, but 3 days ago; he started to develop puffy eyes especially in the morning
and leg edema. The day before admission he developed haematuria, malaise, nausea and
weakness.
The results of the investigations as follow:

Urine microscopy showed red cells

and casts.

Blood urea was elevated (76mg/dl –

normally 20-40mg/dl).

Antistreptolysin O titre (ASO) was

strongly positive.

Saeed wondered about the relation

Antistreptococcal
of hyaluronidase
the immunological laboratory
(AHT) was strongly positive.
investigations above, but the doctor
told him that this renal problem had
association with streptococcal
antigen, which is considered one of
the immunologically mediated
diseases. He added that renal
biopsy is important in such cases to
demonstrate the histological type of
the presenting glomerular disease.
 Objectives

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 1-2 12-1 11-12 10-11 9-10 8-9 Days

-- Bioch. L .Path .Micro .Bioch .Physiol Sat

 
Surgery Medicine -- Micro.L -- Path.L Sun

.Embr -- D1 Meeting -- D2 Mon

-- Hist.L -- Anat. L .Hist .Anat Tues

SDL A/V Skill L Skill L FT FT .Wed

In the clinical Phase (5th - 6th year) no such written problems are discussed.
Instead the patients themselves are regarded as problems and the training
programs are conducted similar to those of traditional medical programs.

This program is supported by the

WHO and practiced by:
 Requirements
• Large number of staff (Human
resources)
• Teaching resources for labs and skill
labs
• Expert staff in medical education for
formulation of the problems ( weekly
problems)
• Exchange programs between the
concerned universities to enrich the
teaching programs
• Workshops, seminars to develop an
efficient tutors
Thank You