AMEI's Current Trends in Diagnosis & Treatment

Register      Login

VOLUME 1 , ISSUE 2 ( July-December, 2017 ) > List of Articles

MEDICAL EDUCATION

Introduction of Case-based Learning as a Teaching/Learning Tool to enhance Students’ Knowledge in Biochemistry

Namrata Chhabra, Amandeep Kaur, Sahiba Kukreja, Manmeet Gill

Keywords : Biochemistry, Case-based learning, First-year Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery

Citation Information : Chhabra N, Kaur A, Kukreja S, Gill M. Introduction of Case-based Learning as a Teaching/Learning Tool to enhance Students’ Knowledge in Biochemistry. Curr Trends Diagn Treat 2017; 1 (2):96-99.

DOI: 10.5005/jp-journals-10055-0023

License: CC BY-NC 4.0

Published Online: 01-05-2019

Copyright Statement:  Copyright © 2017; The Author(s).


Abstract

Introduction: Case-based learning (CBL) promotes integration of knowledge and practice. During CBL, students are exposed to the real medical problems. The present study was conducted to introduce CBL as a teaching/learning (T/L) tool in the Department of Biochemistry and to determine its effectiveness in enhancing students’ knowledge and also to make the students aware of relevance of biochemistry in clinical settings. Materials and methods: After permission from Ethical Committee, both faculty and students were sensitized to CBL; questionnaires and feedback pro forma for students and faculty were finalized. Total of 126 students of first-year Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) were included in the study, and they were divided into two groups. Both groups I and II comprised 63 students each. The study group I (n = 63) was given a clinical problem with specific learning objectives 2 days before CBL session. Pretest questionnaire was administered to both the groups. Group I underwent a CBL session and group II had the same teacher teaching the topic in a didactic lecture form. Both the groups were given a posttest. Crossover of groups was done for the second clinical case. Structured feedback questionnaire on acceptability and usefulness of this method was taken from both the students and the faculty. Using Student's paired and unpaired t-test, the results of pretest and posttest were analyzed. Results: The majority of students (89%) agreed that CBL form of teaching was better than didactic lectures in understanding the topic. For clinical application of knowledge of biochemistry, 85% of the faculty agreed that CBL was a better T/L tool. Conclusion: Among medical students, CBL is effective for better understanding of biochemistry. It motivates students to become self-directed learners. Along with didactic lectures it should be a part of teaching curriculum.


PDF Share
  1. Nair SP, Shah T, Seth S, Pandit N, Shah GV. Case based learning: a method for better understanding of biochemistry in medical students. J Clin Diagn Res 2013 Aug;7(8):1576-1578.
  2. West DC, Pomerory JR, Park JK, Gerstenberger EA, Sandoval J. Critical thinking in graduate medical education: a role of concept mapping assessment. JAMA 2000 Sep;284(9):1105-1110.
  3. Armbruster P, Patel M, Johnson E and Weiss M. Active learning and student-centred pedagogy improve student attitudes and performance in introduction biology. CBE Life Sci Educ 2009 Fall;8(3):203-213.
  4. Salgar ST. Case based learning: an innovative student-centred methodology for teaching biochemistry. Int J Biomed Res 2014;5(1):25-27.
  5. McLaughlin K, Mandin H. A schematic approach to diagnosing and resolving lecturalgia. Med Educ 2001 Dec;35(12): 1135-1142.
  6. Joshi KB, Nilawar AN, Thorat AP. Effect of case based learning in understanding clinical biochemistry. Int J Biomed Adv Res 2014;5(10):516-518.
  7. Schmidt H. Assumptions underlying self-directed learning may be false. Med Educ 2000 Apr;34(4):243-245.
  8. Mullins G. The evaluation of teaching in a problem-based learning context. In: Chen SE, Cowdroy RM, Kingsland AJ, et al., editors. Reflections on problem based learning. Campbelltown, NSW: Australian Problem Based Learning Network; 1995.
  9. Garvey T, O'Sullivan M, Blake M. Multidisciplinary casebased learning for undergraduate students. Eur J Dent Educ 2000 Nov;4(4):165-168.
  10. Burrowers PA. A student-centred approach to teaching general biology that really works: Lord's constructivist model put to a test. Am Biol Teach 2003 Sep;65(7):491-502.
  11. Surapaneni KM. The effect of integrated teaching with Case Based Learning (CBL) in the biochemistry of undergraduate medical curriculum. J Clin Diagn Res 2010 Oct;4(5):3058-3060.
  12. Aleem SB, Imam KA, Hammad M. Student's opinion on effectiveness of CBL in Army Medical College, Rawalpindi, Pakistan. Pak Armed Forces Med J 2014;64(4):564-568.
  13. Bowe CM. Case method teaching: an effective approach to integrate the basic and clinical sciences in the preclinical medical curriculum. Med Teach 2009 Sep;31(9):864-841.
  14. Meyer CS, Jones TB. Case studies. In: Promoting active learning: strategies for the College classroom. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass; 1993. pp. 103-119.
PDF Share
PDF Share

© Jaypee Brothers Medical Publishers (P) LTD.