Problem-Based Learning in A Surgery Clerkship

The Department of Surgery at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine is developing a modified third-year clerkship which stresses active student involvement in the educational process, the stimulation of life-long intellectual curiosity, and the development of problem-solving and time-management skills. The cornerstone of this program is problem-based learning (PBL). PBL places students in a situation in which they must identify the major learning issues and solve the clinical problems presented in a series of paper cases. The students learn and practice a problem-solving method which rekindles their intellectual excitement for medical knowledge. After completing this program, the students are prepared and stimulated to be 'immersed' in the clinical setting through acting internships. The first students to complete the program have articulated concerns about the mixture of traditional clerkship clinical activities and PBL. These concerns are being addressed in subsequent modifications of the clerkship.