Table 1 Intervention comparison for usual and PBL teaching

Session 1 (2 hours)

Assess

Ask

Whole class session

Using an interactive teaching format led by a clinically qualified faculty member, students:-

Small group

Using a PBL case format and facilitated by a faculty tutor (clinical or non-clinical), students:-

1) Watch the video patient interview

2) Explore problems presented in the video, including the pathophysiology, presentation, history and physical findings

3) Set a PICO¹ question

4) Conduct on-line real time search for evidence to address the PICO question

5) Select the scientific paper for review in Session 2

Short lecture by statistical tutor

1) Brief lecture focused on statistics found in the paper

No statistical briefing

Between Sessions

Acquire

Between Sessions 1 and 2 students

1) Download the selected journal article from the course website.

2) Read the paper.

3) Complete the homework assignment.

Session 2 (2 hours)

Appraise Apply

Using a set of guidelines and meeting in groups of 20 -- 30 divided into 2-3 groups meeting in one room and facilitated by a faculty tutor who circulates between students:-

Continuing with the PBL paper case with one faculty tutor (clinical or non clinical) per group (9-10) students:-

1) Undertake a critical appraisal of the selected scientific paper

2) Draw conclusions about the validity and reliability of the data

3) Apply their conclusions to the patient as presented in the video in session 1