title: Problem-based learning in oral and maxillofacial surgery education: the Shanghai hybrid.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  A new hybrid course was designed for the practice of oral and maxillofacial surgery education, which included a problem-based learning (PBL) preclinical course and a 1-year clinical rotation under supervision. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of this hybrid course.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighty-seven students were included from 2006 to 2008. Of these students, 43 received PBL courses and 44 received traditional lecture-based courses. All the students took multiple-choice examinations before and after their clinical rotations. A self-assessment questionnaire was completed after completion of all preclinical courses. At the end of the 1-year clinical rotation, all students were asked to take the clinical skill test. We used t tests to assess the statistical significance of any changes in their scores.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Students' scores on the multiple-choice examination showed significant improvement after taking both the PBL courses and the traditional lecture-based courses. The PBL group had better results regarding their overall scores than did the traditional group. The PBL group received higher scores in the "case analysis" and "operational skills" categories. The self-assessment showed that PBL students had more initiative to study in the library, a greater inclination toward teamwork, and more self-confidence before clinical practice.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PBL courses combined with supervised clinical rotation were shown to improve students' operative skill, enhance their ability to perform case analysis, and improve their self-confidence. However, to determine the long-term effect after graduation, further series of testing should be performed in these students over the next few years.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, the Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Guang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Xiao
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.forename: Xia
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.forename: Chi
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Xie-Yi
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Cai
mesh_terms: D002983:Clinical Competence; D003142:Communication; D003479:Curriculum; D004521:Educational Measurement / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008487:Medical History Taking; D009042:Motivation; D010808:Physical Examination; D018794:Problem-Based Learning; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012649:Self Concept; D012647:Self-Assessment; D013515:Surgery, Oral / Q000193:education*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013663:Teaching / Q000379:methods