Learning Outcomes of Problem-Based Learning between Pre-clinical and Clinical Years of Medical Students, Extended Abstracts

To compare learning outcomes of problem-based
learning between pre-clinical and clinical years of
medical students. Methods: The questionnaires were
sent to medical students who enrolled during academic
year 2012-2015 and they were asked their personal
opinion on learning outcomes from PBL by using
Likert scale. The returned questionnaires were divided
into pre-clinical (2-3)and clinical (4th-5th) year
groups. The difference of opinion rates between both
groups were compared by using the independent t Test.
Results: The response rate of the questionnaire was
98%. The most of medical students learned by PBL
more than 10 times a year. The opinion rates about
learning capacity, skills, communications, teamwork
and self-assessment were in much agree level . The
process of applying to reality situation, knowledge
management and self-knowledge management were
different with statistical significance between both
groups . PBL is learning in a small collaborative group
setting which focuses on self-directed learning. The
objectives are gathering and arranging knowledge to
apply in real life, and students are able to develop
analytical skills independently . More than that,
students are able to develop logic to build efficient
self-learning skills, develop skills in teamwork
building, and build motivation for learning. The
strategy of PBL is one of tools which help support
students to take action and face problems by
themselves. They will practice many kinds of thinking
skills such as reviewing, critical thinking, analytical
thinking, and creative thinking . PBL is a learning
experience that is diverse with the nature of the content
of the teaching and learning. Therefore, the
effectiveness of learning from PBL should begin with
the recognition of students as self-learning processes.
Students can learn from their past experiences and
apply them within the lessons, because PBL is a
process of solving problems.
Problem-Based Learning is knowledge management
which uses problem as the starting point for learning.
Problem set is a process of research which begins from
something that the researchers want to know and set
the questions of research .Later, they try to find
answers in the research. PBL is used to arrange
learning in many fields such as medical and sciences
fields in order to help students to use logic and know
the usefulness of PBL correctly. This study
investigated the effect of PBL on medical students
learning outcomes in order to know their capacities
which were derived from PBL and their suggestions in
teaching management to improve efficiency. All data
was recorded and analyzed by Excel program 2013.
The statistical comparison between the pre-clinical and
clinical year groups used independence t Test. Ethical
research was approved by the committee from
Suranaree University of Technology. PBL
management in the Institute of Medicine, Suranaree
University of Technology has been conducted since
the 2nd year of medical students. It takes 2 years of
study in the pre-clinical 2-3 year class. The learning
objectives include: understand the knowledge,
application of knowledge, communication skill,
teamwork skill and life-long learning. However, it
does not handle PBL in the clinical year of medical
students because they were divided into the affiliated
hospital and too small number to set PBL group.
Learning with the original group members without the
rotation of the members may affect learning in some
medical students. So they want to have circulation of

Author(s): Sarawut Suksuphew

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