Effectiveness of Student Seminars as a Learning Method among the Medical Students in a Teaching Hospital in Bangalore, India

Interactive learning is more appealing to the students than didactic lectures. Therefore, the present study was conducted with the objective to show that the students would gain knowledge; improve their ability of retrieving information and its synthesis and analysis; improve their teamwork skills; acquire skills on management of various diseases; and improve their motivation for self-learning through interactive learning and the faculty would gain knowledge on the topic and teaching-learning methods.

A total of 124 second year students formed the target group. They were divided into groups of five members each and the topics were allotted. They worked under the guidance of a faculty in the Department of Community Medicine. After this, they presented the topic to the rest of the class. The students in the audience were assessed regarding their knowledge before and after the seminars. The speakers were assessed by their peers as well as the staff of the department. Statistical analysis was done based on percentages, proportions and McNemar's modified Chi square test.

There was a gain in knowledge on the topic on socio-cultural factors in health and disease from 56.4 to 96.9%. In the topic on pneumoconiosis and its prevention, gain in knowledge ranged from 56.6 to 96.1%. With regard to hospital waste management, gain in knowledge ranged from 68.1 to 98.9%. The topic on disaster management showed a gain in knowledge from 54.9 to 89.9%. The overall gain in knowledge on all the topics was statistically significant (P < 0.001).

There was a gain in knowledge on all the topics among the students as well as the faculty following the seminars. This teaching-learning method was found to be effective.