Author: Brian S McGowan, PhD

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES:Primary care physicians PCPs are uniquely positioned to detect melanoma. Effective educational interventions targeted at PCPs may improve early melanoma detection. A previous in-person Basic Skin Cancer Triage BSCT 2-hour course demonstrated significant short-term improvement in provider practices, attitudes, ability, confidence, and knowledge. We conducted a randomized trial to test the efficacy of the BSCT course implemented as a web-based learning program, compared to a similar control web-based course on weight assessment.METHODS:We recruited a sample of 57 PCPs and 3,341 of their patients from four geographically diverse centers. Skin cancer control activities by PCPs were assessed by physician survey and by chart review and patient telephone interview about their recent visit to their PCP at baseline and at 1–2 months and 12 months after course completion.RESULTS:Some effect of intervention on skin cancer parameters was self-reported by physicians; this was not confirmed by patient survey or chart-extracted data. Rates of skin cancer control practices by PCPs were low across both groups before and after intervention. The positive changes in physician-reported behaviors total body skin examination [TBSE], intentions discuss skin cancer detection, confidence performing TBSE, office practices, and knowledge 58% skin versus 49% control were neither matched by differences in practice reported by their patients, nor persisted in a longer term follow-up, hence may be attributable to physician recall bias due to the experience of the course or desire to please study investigators and were less dramatic as compared to our previously reported in-person BSCT intervention. Thus this approach by itself appears unlikely to result in improved PCP handling of skin cancer issues.CONCLUSIONS:Given previous success with our in-person course, the features required to make WBL a more effective tool for medical education must be further explored.

via Effect of a web-based curriculum on primary care pra… [Fam Med. 2013] – PubMed – NCBI.

Problem-based learning (PBL) was originally introduced in medical education programs as a form of small-group learning, but its use has now spread to large undergraduate classrooms in various other disciplines. Introduction of new teaching techniques, including PBL-based methods, needs to be justified by demonstrating the benefits of such techniques over classical teaching styles. Previously, we demonstrated that introduction of tutor-less PBL in a large third-year biochemistry undergraduate class increased student satisfaction and attendance. The current study assessed the generic problem-solving abilities of students from the same class at the beginning and end of the term, and compared student scores with similar data obtained in three classes not using PBL. Two generic problem-solving tests of equal difficulty were administered such that students took different tests at the beginning and the end of the term. Blinded marking showed a statistically significant 13% increase in the test scores of the biochemistry students exposed to PBL, while no trend toward significant change in scores was observed in any of the control groups not using PBL. Our study is among the first to demonstrate that use of tutor-less PBL in a large classroom leads to statistically significant improvement in generic problem-solving skills of students.

via Improvement in generic problem-solving abi… [CBE Life Sci Educ. 2013] – PubMed – NCBI.