Problem-Based Learning Pathway

Problem-Based Learning Pathway

General Overview

The Problem-Based Learning (PBL) pathway is designed around the principle that learning is most effective when knowledge is encountered in a practical, applied context. By engaging with patient cases, students develop critical thinking, clinical reasoning, and problem-solving skills while fostering teamwork and independent learning. A key aspect of PBL is self-directed study, which encourages students to take ownership of their learning, identify knowledge gaps, and seek out relevant information using appropriate resources. This approach enhances knowledge retention by integrating medical science into real-world scenarios and promotes lifelong learning habits essential for medical professionals.

How Does it Work?

The PBL curriculum begins with foundational courses in Anatomical Sciences (Anatomy, Embryology and Histology), where PBL is a minor component. As students progress, PBL becomes the primary mode of instruction, compromising 60% of the total pre-clinical curriculum.

Throughout the two-year preclinical program, students work in groups of eight or nine, guided by a faculty facilitator, to study more than 70 patient cases. Unlike traditional instructors, facilitators do not lecture but instead support and guide students as they explore each case.

During each PBL case, students identify learning issues, which are topics requiring deeper exploration to fully understand the case and its underlying medical science. There learning issues, drawn from required textbooks, define the material the material for examinations, ensuring clarity in study expectations. Between meetings students research independently, or in small, informal groups, these learning issues, which later form the basis for their examinations. By integrating medical science subjects within clinical case discussions, PBL provides a comprehensive and contextualizing learning experience that mirrors real-world medical decision-marking.