Evaluation of usefulness of seminar as a learning tool at medical undergraduate level

Background: Teaching methods has a major role to play in making a subject innovative, interesting and participatory for the students. In India still teaching is controlled by teacher centered classroom method. Apart from this one of the method adopted is organizing seminars for the students. Knowledge acquisition through seminars forms an essential part of medical training programme. The idea behind the seminar system is to familiarize students more extensively with the methodology of their chosen subject. Methods: A questionnaire was prepared containing ten questions and 1000 MBBS students of second, pre-final, final professional and 200 faculty members, were asked to fill up the questionnaire. It included ten questions. Results: Results showed that seminar methods of teaching-learning, is effective way of learning, which is relevant to self-development and is also interactive. It improves communication skills. Conclusions: Many of the students feel that this technique of seminar programme is helpful for them in the long run. Thus teaching by way of seminar could be an effective learning method as it involves the three major domains of teaching i.e., cognitive, affective and psychomotor skills and is thus well -accepted among the medical students.