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Objectives: To evaluate the ability of pathology modules to promote learning of pathology-related course content in a preclinical medical education curriculum.Methods: Pathology modules were created for the "Hematology/Oncology" and "Women's Health" (WH) courses. Students were recruited over 2 consecutive academic years; cohorts 1 and 2 refer to 2 separate groups of students in years 1 and 2, respectively, of the study. Course performance data were collected.Results: Use of pathology modules resulted in a statistically significant higher correlation between performance on the final examination and pathology-related questions in the Hematology/Oncology course and written examination and pathology-related questions in cohort 1 in the WH course. There was statistically significant improvement (P = .026) on pathology-related laboratory practical examination questions in the WH course for cohort 1, and no other statistically significant improvement for the other cohorts and examinations. The percentage of students completing all or part of the modules was highest in the WH course for cohort 1 (60%) compared with WH course cohort 2 (33%) and Hematology/Oncology cohort 1 (30%) and cohort 2 (39%).Conclusions: Pathology modules may improve acquisition and retention of pathology-related course content when used appropriately. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Incentives for preparation and participation in case-based (CBL) and team-based learning (TBL) differ by virtue of differences in assessment, allowing us to evaluate the role these incentives play in preparation and participation in these activities as well as overall course performance. Methods: Weekly TBL and CBL participation and performance as well as performance on the course final examination were recorded. Student participation was quantified and correlated with: (1) CBL preparation, participation, teamwork and completion of learning objectives scores, and (2) TBL individual readiness assurance test (iRAT) scores. Results: Student final examination scores (n = 95) were more strongly correlated with TBL than CBL performance. No significant correlation was found between iRAT and CBL scores. Student participation was measured in 3 CBL groups (8 students/group) and 4 TBL teams (6 students/team). TBL participation was more strongly correlated with final examination scores than CBL participation. TBL participation was also correlated with iRAT scores. CBL scores for preparation, participation, teamwork and completion of learning objectives did not significantly correlate with iRAT scores or TBL participation. Conclusion: These results suggest that the assessment incentives and methods used in TBL result in student performance that better predicts performance on summative examinations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We developed a hands‐on course in molecular biology for undergraduate underrepresented in medicine (URM) students. To incentivize student preparation for team‐based learning (TBL) activities, we implemented a novel grading schema that requires a minimum individual readiness assurance test (iRAT) score to share the team group readiness assurance test (gRAT) score. Fifty‐one students participated in this 2‐year study and were divided in teams of five or six students that worked throughout the course on a unique, hands‐on project and also participated in TBL exercises. In the laboratory sessions, students isolated RNA from cultured neuronal cells, synthesized complementary DNA (cDNA), and used gene sequencing to identify a gene relevant in human health and disease. Student participation in TBL was quantified and correlated with performance on individual iRATs and the course final examination. We found that implementation of the novel incentive structure lowered the variance of TBL scores (iRAT and gRAT) and strengthened the correlation between final examination scores and either iRAT scores or percentage participation in TBL. Subgroup analysis showed that with the new grading schema, stronger students benefited more from the gRAT exercises, while more poorly performing students were better helped by individual preparation prior to the iRAT exercise. A combination of two active learning strategies, TBL and hands‐on sessions, may strengthen student acquisition of course content and promote teamwork skills. The new incentive structure seems to reduce the disparity in knowledge amongst our students as demonstrated by the reduced iRAT and gRAT score variances. © 2018 International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 47(2): 115–123, 2019. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To examine whether introduction of Teambased Learning (TBL) improves student learning resulting in improved performance on final examination questions and decreased failures in an infectious diseases course. Methods: To improve mastery of course content, we designed an intervention, which provided weekly TBL exercises in study years 2 and 3 to review concepts presented during didactic lectures and laboratory exercises. The remaining course structure and content was essentially unchanged. All students taking the course (n=50 in year 1, n=64 in year 2, and n=72 in year 3) participated in this study. Student final examination performance and performance on individual final examination questions were collected and analyzed for changes in response to the study intervention. Results: Addition of weekly TBL exercises improved student performance on the course final examination as demonstrated by a statistically significant increase in the distribution of correct answer percentages for questions in common between the final examinations in years 1 and 2 and between years 1 and 3 (t(99) = 3.1454, p<0.05 and t(99) = 4.1268, p<0.01, respectively; Student-Newman-Keuls). There was no statistical difference (t(97) = 0.9814, p> 0.05; Student-Newman-Keuls) in the distribution of correct answer percentages between years two and three. There was also a decrease in final examination failures in years two and three. Conclusions: The results suggest that TBL could be used to improve mastery and retention of course content in a preclinical infectious diseases course. Weekly exercises allow students to identify and ameliorate weaknesses in understanding and make adjustments early in the course. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]