Attitudes of faculty and students toward case-based learning in the third-year obstetrics and gynecology clerkship.
OBJECTIVE
This study was undertaken to compare the attitudes of faculty and medical students toward case-based learning and lecture format during the obstetrics and gynecology clerkship.


METHODS
For this prospective comparative study, student presentations were alternately assigned to traditional lecture- or case-based format every 6 weeks. Presentations were made to other students and a single faculty. A total of 31 faculty members, 30 student presenters, and 122 student participants completed evaluations. Teaching methods were compared. RESULTS Faculty members favored lecture format over case-based learning for "attentiveness and interaction of the group" (3.9 vs 4.5, P < .018) and for "meeting the objectives" (3.7 vs 4.5, P < .002). Student participants favored case-based learning in "understanding the relationship between knowledge and clinical practice" (4.34 vs 4.06, P < .05) and "enjoyed" (4.34 vs 3.90, P < .008). Student presenters showed no differences between groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Faculty favored lecture format whereas student participants favored a case-based presentation. Student presenters were comfortable with both formats.
Hansen
Wendy F
WF
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, Iowa, USA. wfhans2@email.uky.edu
Ferguson
Kristi J
KJ
Sipe
Christopher S
CS
Sorosky
Joel
J
D001290:Attitude; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002982:Clinical Clerkship; D005180:Faculty, Medical; D006176:Gynecology / Q000193:education*; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning; D009774:Obstetrics / Q000193:education*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013337:Students, Medical