title: Effects of problem-based learning in paediatric education in China: a meta-analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the efficiency of Problem-Based Learning (PBL) in paediatric education.
  
  
  METHODS
  The research articles on the application of PBL to Chinese paediatric education published in from 1989 to 2014 in the Cochrane library, PubMed/MEDLINE, EBSCO (Elton B. Stephens Company Database), OVID (Ovid Technologies Database), Web of Science, CNKI (China National Knowledge Infrastructure Database), VIP (Wei Pu Database), WF (WanFang Database) and other databases were retrieved by two independent evaluators according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The heterogeneity of the retrieved data was analysed and a meta-analysis was performed using the RevMan 5.3 software.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The articles were initially retrieved, and 11 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were included for the meta-analysis. The PBL group was significantly superior to the Lecture-Based Learning (LBL) group for the paediatrics theoretical test score, case analysis score and overall student satisfaction, and the differences were statistically significant (P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PBL is superior to LBL method for Chinese paediatric education.
authors: Department of Pediatrics, West China University Second Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.|Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
authors: Xiaolin
authors: X
authors: Gao
authors: Department of Pediatrics, West China University Second Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
authors: Shuanghong
authors: S
authors: Luo
authors: Department of Pediatrics, West China University Second Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
authors: Dezhi
authors: D
authors: Mu
authors: Department of Pediatrics, West China University Second Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
authors: Ying
authors: Y
authors: Xiong
authors: Evidence-based Medicine and Epidemiology Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
authors: Liu
authors: L
authors: Guanjian
authors: Department of Pediatrics, West China University Second Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
authors: Chaomin
authors: C
authors: Wan
keywords: Chinese; PBL; meta-analysis; paediatrics; teaching effectiveness