title: Team-based learning as a teaching strategy for first-year medical students.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Teaching programmes in medical education are now routinely employing active learning strategies to enhance the learning process and engage students in higher levels of learning. Team-based learning (TBL) is one active learning strategy that builds on individuals' strengths by allowing them to collaborate and work as a team to achieve a common learning objective.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The present study aims to evaluate the impact of TBL on student performance. It also aims to assess students' attitudes towards TBL and the feasibility of its incorporation into the course curriculum.
  
  
  METHODS
  From a class of 241 students, 128 who agreed to participate in the study underwent two sessions of TBL each consisting of Individual and Group Readiness Assurance Tests (IRATs and GRATs). The readiness assurance tests each had 13 multiple choice questions (MCQ). To analyse the impact of TBL supplementation, the median sessional MCQ scores of students who underwent TBL supplementation (group 1) were compared with those who did not undergo the session (group 2). Students' experiences with TBL and their attitudes towards incorporation of TBL into the course curriculum were analysed using a feedback questionnaire that was given to students who underwent TBL.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Students belonging to the TBL group performed significantly better than the students who did not undergo TBL (p<0.001). The median sessional MCQ score of the TBL group was seven and non-TBL group was six. The overall mean attitude score obtained from feedback questionnaires was 3.57, which indicates a positive attitude towards TBL.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The team-based learning session improved student engagement with course content. The majority of the students felt that TBL supplementation enhanced their understanding of course content and believe that it will help them perform better in their exams.
authors: Dept. of Physiology, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal University, Manipal, India.
authors: Dhiren
authors: D
authors: Punja
authors: Dept. of Physiology, Akash Institute of Medical Sciences & Research Centre, Bangalore, India.
authors: Shivananda N
authors: SN
authors: Kalludi
authors: Dept. of Physiology, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal University, Manipal, India.
authors: Kirtana M
authors: KM
authors: Pai
authors: Dept. of Physiology, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal University, Manipal, India.
authors: Raghavendra K
authors: RK
authors: Rao
authors: Dept. of Population Policies and Programmes, International Institute for Population Sciences, Mumbai, India.
authors: Murali
authors: M
authors: Dhar
keywords: Team-based learning; active learning; group readiness assurance test; individual readiness assurance test; medical students
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