Therapeutic Follow-up Case-Based Learning: An Educational Exemplar

Case-based learning (CBL) is a teaching modality, which bridges the gap between basic and clinical sciences. CBL allows students to develop qualities like hypothesis generation, integration of knowledge and practice, and encourages self-evaluation. CBL allows students to develop a team-based approach to their education and their profession. Case-based learning module was introduced in the study curriculum of second year students in the department of pharmacology in our college. It was introduced in the year 2012 and has been conducted successfully in two batches so far.

In this module, each student is assigned a patient as a clinical case in the fourth semester. Each student has to take the patient's history, do the clinical examination, record the investigations done and make a provisional diagnosis. Students were given an anonymized paper-based feedback questionnaire and were asked to review the case based teaching module.

A total of 122 students undertook the module and filled the feedback questionnaire. Majority of the students (92.6%) believed that it was a useful exercise. Regarding knowledge, 95% students believed that it enhanced their existing knowledge. Students (95.9%) stated that this helped them to correlate the subject with the clinical aspects. It was also widely held by the students (77.1%) that this case-based learning module motivated them to look for additional sources.

Innovative methods such as case-based learning are useful and enhance knowledge and must be introduced in the study curriculum.