title: Job requirements compared to medical school education: differences between graduates from problem-based learning and conventional curricula.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Problem-based Learning (PBL) has been suggested as a key educational method of knowledge acquisition to improve medical education. We sought to evaluate the differences in medical school education between graduates from PBL-based and conventional curricula and to what extent these curricula fit job requirements.
  
  
  METHODS
  Graduates from all German medical schools who graduated between 1996 and 2002 were eligible for this study. Graduates self-assessed nine competencies as required at their day-to-day work and as taught in medical school on a 6-point Likert scale. Results were compared between graduates from a PBL-based curriculum (University Witten/Herdecke) and conventional curricula.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Three schools were excluded because of low response rates. Baseline demographics between graduates of the PBL-based curriculum (n = 101, 49% female) and the conventional curricula (n = 4720, 49% female) were similar. No major differences were observed regarding job requirements with priorities for "Independent learning/working" and "Practical medical skills". All competencies were rated to be better taught in PBL-based curriculum compared to the conventional curricula (all p < 0.001), except for "Medical knowledge" and "Research competence". Comparing competencies required at work and taught in medical school, PBL was associated with benefits in "Interdisciplinary thinking" (Delta + 0.88), "Independent learning/working" (Delta + 0.57), "Psycho-social competence" (Delta + 0.56), "Teamwork" (Delta + 0.39) and "Problem-solving skills" (Delta + 0.36), whereas "Research competence" (Delta--1.23) and "Business competence" (Delta--1.44) in the PBL-based curriculum needed improvement.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Among medical graduates in Germany, PBL demonstrated benefits with regard to competencies which were highly required in the job of physicians. Research and business competence deserve closer attention in future curricular development.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Teaching and Educational Research in Health Sciences, Private University Witten/Herdecke, Witten, Germany.
authors.forename: Christopher L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Schlett
authors.forename: Hinnerk
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Doll
authors.forename: Janosch
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dahmen
authors.forename: Ole
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Polacsek
authors.forename: Gero
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Federkeil
authors.forename: Martin R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Fischer
authors.forename: Fabian
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bamberg
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Butzlaff
mesh_terms: D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000592:standards; D004501:Education, Medical; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D007587:Job Description; D008297:Male; D018794:Problem-Based Learning; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012577:Schools, Medical; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult