Time restriction and individual assessment of problem-based learning in pathophysiology

Authors

Keywords:

active learning; education, medical; problem-based learning; teaching

Abstract

Introduction: Problem-based learning is a fundamental strategy in medical education, as it brings theoretical knowledge closer to professional practice.

Objective: To determine the impact of response time and individual performance on problem-based learning applied to students of health sciences programs.

Methods: A quasi-experimental pre-post comparison within the same group, without a control group, in 82 students of health sciences programs, between the traditional methodology and an intervention that incorporated the reduction of response time and the assessment of individual performance in clinical cases. A perception survey was applied, and performance and response time were compared before and after.

Results: Students perceived improvements in authenticity and integrity after the new methodology; the restriction of response time, in contrast, did not reach majority acceptance (45.1%). Grades decreased after the intervention (5.88 ± 0.73 vs. 5.62 ± 0.81), due to the individual assessment (5.05 ± 1.60).

Conclusions: The reduction of response time and the incorporation of individual performance lowered grades, driven by the individual assessment, with no association between the time spent and the grade obtained. Students valued the authenticity of the experience, although the time restriction did not reach majority acceptance.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

1. Lall M, Datta K. A pilot study on case-based learning (CBL) in medical microbiology: students' perspective. Med J Armed Forces India. 2021;77 Suppl 1:S215-9. DOI: 10.1016/j.mjafi.2021.01.005

2. Teshome D, Tiruneh C, Berhanu L, Berihun G. Medical students' attitude and perception towards basic medical science subjects at Wollo University, Northeast Ethiopia. Adv Med Educ Pract. 2021;12:431-8. DOI: 10.2147/AMEP.S309440

3. Trommelen RD, Karpinski A, Chauvin S. Impact of case-based learning and reflection on clinical reasoning and reflection abilities in physical therapist students. J Phys Ther Educ. 2017;31(1):21-30. DOI: 10.1097/00001416-201731010-00006

4. Zhu Y, Zhang J, Fei J, Fang H, Zhang Z. Problem-based learning and case-based learning in clinical practical teaching for gynecology residents: a narrative review. Adv Med Educ Pract. 2025;16:1269-79. DOI: 10.2147/AMEP.S534053

5. Sayed MH, Hegazi MA, Zubairi NA, Alahmadi TS, Saeedi FA. Undergraduate medical students' perceptions and perspectives on their clinical reasoning learning experiences. Sci Rep. 2025;15(1):6229. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-025-90656-2

6. Biblioteca del Congreso Nacional de Chile. Ley 21561. Reduce la jornada laboral [Internet]. Santiago: BCN, Ley Chile; 2023. [acceso: 28/05/2026]. Disponible en: https://bcn.cl/3cur4

7. Ghori S, Ghori RA, Shaikh EA, Shaikh MA. Evaluating case-based learning in physiology: a study at Indus Medical College. J Med Health Stud. 2025;6(3):101-7. DOI: 10.32996/jmhs.2025.6.3.15

Published

2026-10-30

How to Cite

1.
Orellana-Walden R, Osorio L, Estrada L, Rojas Cornejo A, Martínez I. Time restriction and individual assessment of problem-based learning in pathophysiology. Rev. cuba. med. mil [Internet]. 2026 Oct. 30 [cited 2026 Nov. 7];55(3 (Suplemento 1):e026077756. Available from: https://revmedmilitar.sld.cu/index.php/mil/article/view/77756