Impact of integrated teaching sessions for comprehensive learning and rational pharmacotherapeutics for medical undergraduates

Abstract

Background:It is postulated that integrated teaching method may enhance retention of the knowledge and clinical applicability of the basic sciences as compared to the didactic method.Aim:The present study was undertaken to compare the integrated teaching method with the didactic method for the learning ability and clinical applicability of the basic sciences.Materials and Methods:The 2nd year MBBS students were divided into two groups randomly. The study was conducted into two stages. In the first stage, conventional didactic lectures on hypertension (HT) were delivered to one group and multidisciplinary integrated teaching to another group. For the second stage, diabetes mellitus groups were swapped. Retention of the knowledge between the groups were assessed through a multiple choice questions (MCQ) test. Feedback of the students and faculty was obtained on a 5 point Likert scale. For the comparison, student's data were regrouped into four groups, i.e., integrated HT, didactic HT, integrated diabetes and didactic diabetes.Results:There was no significant difference of MCQ score between integrated HT, didactic HT, and integrated diabetes group. However, the score obtained in didactic diabetes was significantly more (P = 0.00) than other groups. Majority of the students favored integrated teaching for clinical application of basic science and learning of the skill for the future clinical practice. Faculties considered integrated method as a useful method and suggested frequent use of this method.Conclusion:There was no clear difference in knowledge acquisition; however, the students and faculties favored integrated teaching method in the feedback questionnaire.

Current Activities to Implement Integrated Teaching Learning in Undergraduate Medical Education in Bangladesh: Students’ View

“…This might be useful to improve their prescription skills and to be a better-qualified health professional. 8 In this study around 55% students opined against the statement that the subjects of different phases are arranged sequentially in curriculum (Table 2). Same type of result was revealed by another study where about 90% teachers passed opinion for rearrangement of subjects of 2nd and 3rd phase.…”

Introduction of temporal integration in fourth year MBBS curriculum; Students’ experience

“…This percentage is higher than a similar study in Rajasthan, India. 17 However, other studies have reported more than 90% percent students agreeing to this statement. 18 , 19 Score for ‘promoting critical thinking’ was less than that of a similar study conducted in India.…”

Integration in Undergraduate Medical Course of Bangladesh: Students’ and Teachers’ views

“…On the other hand, the means scores of the respondents' views regarding the future MBBBS course should adopt 'Integrated teaching' instead of traditional 'discipline based teaching' was 3.47 (Table1); which indicates that they were highly motivate for integrate teaching in future. Integrated teaching had potential to improve the knowledge, skills, and comprehensive learning, the students are benefitted if the planning and implication of integrated teaching are done properly, it may lead to better learning outcomes; this might be useful to improve their skills as better qualified health professional 8 . It was also mentioned that integrated curricula have been well-organized for effective clinical reasoning instead of the way basic sciences and clinical sciences traditionally taught as separate disciplines 9 .…”