Journal Article

Enhancing medical education in respiratory diseases: efficacy of a 3D printing, problem-based, and case-based learning approach

Zhu, Yingying, Zhou, Jinhua, Yan, Xuebo, Ding, Peishan, Fang, Lei, Fang, Shu, Wang, Jiong

2023

Overview

Objectives The present study aims to investigate the efficacy of utilizing three-dimensional (3D) printing technology in concert with Problem-Based Learning (PBL) and Case-Based Learning (CBL) pedagogical approaches in educating senior undergraduate clinical medical students on respiratory diseases. Methods A cohort of 422 fourth-year clinical medicical students of from Anhui Medical University, pursuing a five-year program, were arbitrarily segregated into two distinct groups. The experimental group was subjected to a combined pedagogical approach, which included 3D printing technology, PBL and CBL (referred to as DPC). Conversely, the control group was exposed to conventional teaching methodologies for respiratory disease education. The effectiveness of the teaching methods was subsequently appraised using both theoretical test scores and custom questionnaires. Results Post-quiz scores indicated a statistically significant improvement in the DPC group as compared to the traditional group (P < 0.01). Self-evaluation and satisfaction questionnaires revealed that the DPC group’s self-assessment scores outperformed the traditional group in several aspects, including clinical thinking ability, learning initiative, self-study ability, anatomical knowledge mastery, confidence in learning, ability to analyze and solve problems, comprehension of the knowledge, help to clinical thinking and level of satisfaction on the teaching methods (P < 0.01). However, within the unsatisfied DPC sub-group, none of these self-assessment aspects, except for comprehension of the knowledge, impacted the learning efficacy (P > 0.05). Conclusion The deployment of the DPC pedagogical approach may confer unique experiential learning opportunities for students, potentially enhancing theoretical test scores and promoting self-evaluation and satisfaction in the context of respiratory disease education. Hence, it may be instrumental in augmenting the overall teaching efficacy.

• Publisher: BioMed Central,BioMed Central Ltd,Springer Nature B.V,BMC
• Subject: 3-D printers / 3D printing / 3D printing technology / Additive manufacturing / CBL teaching / Cerebrovascular disease / Clinical medicine / Clinical teaching / Congenital diseases / Core curriculum / Dental schools / Diagnosis / Education / Education, Medical / Educational Objectives / Educational technology / Evaluation / Experiential learning / Heart surgery / Humans / Integrated curriculum / Learning / Medical Education / Medical students / Methods / PBL teaching / Pedagogy / Printing, Three-Dimensional / Problem-Based Learning - methods / Rapid prototyping / Respiratory disease / Respiratory diseases / Respiratory Tract Diseases / Schools / Students, Medical / Teaching methods / Theory of Medicine/Bioethics / Thinking Skills / Thyroid diseases