Students validate problem based learning

Editor- The aim of medical schools should be to produce doctors well
equipped to treat patients. Any validation of medical school teaching
methods should be based on this principle. I was somewhat bemused,
therefore, to read the letter “Students validate problem based learning”
by Burke et al (BMJ 2006;332:365). The article shows that medical students
who are taught in a problem-based manner confirm that they are taught in
this way. The authors then conclude this justifies further assimilation of
problem based learning into medical school curriculums. Where is the
analysis of whether problem based learning produces better performing
doctors?

My own experience as a consultant anaesthetist on the shop floor is
that many final year medical students and newly qualified doctors who are
the product of a problem based learning curriculum are woefully lacking in
understanding of the basics of physiology and pharmacology – the sort of
knowledge was drummed in by the traditional teaching approach in the first
years of training.

Frustratingly, I am often unable to use problem based learning to go
through topics such as fluid resuscitation with final year medical
students because they do not have any grasp of the basics.

A child begins with the alphabet and some years later may appreciate
Shakespeare. Similarly, medical students need to be given the facts first
so that they may develop to confidently tackle challenging medical
problems.

Competing interests:
None declared