Master of Health Sciences Education
Bicol Christian College of Medicine

Students' Output Records


Aster M. Reganit, MD (areganit)

Name of Course/Unit

Name of Module/Activity

Date Completed

Problem-based Learning in Medicine - Course Pack

Module2. Problem-based Learning Medical Curriuclum

September, 1999

Module Learning Objectives || Student's Output

Module2. Problem-based Learning Medical Curriculum
Summative Evaluation

Learning Objectives of Module 2:

At the end of the self-study program, you should be able to:

1. Explain what a PBL medical curriculum is.

2. Explain how "problems" are chosen for a PBL medical curriculum.

3. Critique a PBL medical curriculum

4. Design a PBL medical curriculum

To do the summative evaluation, do the following:

1. Get hold of a medical curriculum which claims to be PBL or which you think could be PBL. The curriculum could be local or foreign.

2. Analyze the curriculum and answer the following questions:

2.1 Is it really a PBL medical curriculum? If yes, why? If no, why?

2.2 How are the "problem" courses and modules chosen, organized, and presented? Critique and comment.

2.3 What are the methods of student evaluation? What are they trying to evaluate? Critique and comment.

3. You have two options in the design of a PBL medical curriculum.

3.1 Improve the design of the PBL curriculum you have analyzed and critique or

3.2 Design an entirely new PBL medical curriculum. Imagine yourself to be the head of a curriculum committee of a new medical school that wants to adopt a PBL educational approach.

Your reports or outputs will be evaluated as to whether why are complete, clear, and congruent with the learning objectives and content of the self-study program.

Student's Output

1. Medical Curriculum of BCCM by Reynaldo O. Joson, MD, MHPEd, MHA

2. Analysis of the Medical Curriculum

2.1 Yes, it is a real PBL curriculum because it contains "problem"courses which are relevant to the health problems of the community, particularly, Bicol Region. The teaching/learning strategy being used by the faculty is PBL. The traditional curriculum lists its courses in terms of discipline such as anatomy, physiology, etc.

2.2 The "problem" courses and modules chosen , organization, and presentation are based on relevance and competence expected of a generalist physician.

Relevance would mean, the problems presented are the real problems and needs of the community as also chosen in the Regional Statistics of the past years and even of the current year in terms of the common causes of admission in the hospital, both outpatients and inpatients and in the rural health units and the top leading causes of mortality.

Competencies expected of a basic physician such as a community health problem solver, as a clinician who can diagnose and treat common diseases, can teach by giving health information to the patient, make simple research, manage as an administrator of his own clinics or a health facility, be it a center-based or hospital-based.

The presentation and organization of the problem courses are so structured as follows:

The presentation of instruction is from the overview, progressing to the biologic foundations and learning and demonstrating the use of pattern recognition with physiopathology and prevalence, paraclinical diagnostic procedures, treatment, and health promotion.

2.3 Methods of student evaluation

a. Summative evaluation based on the learning objectives

b. Evaluation is focused on:

  • Cognitive domain - on the knowledge through: paper and pencil test (written exam); oral examination; and projects
  • Skill domain - skills learned through: practical exam, return demonstration; oral exam
  • Attitude domain - a change in behavior through observation of the students while performing the job

3. Personally, the PBL Problem Courses/Modules prepared by Dr. R. Joson is already excellent. I have taught PBL since the start using the modules in the orientation and introduction, the modules on medical emergency measures, infections and infestations, and others.

Module Learning Objectives || Student's Output

Master of Health Sciences Education