Description of a pedagogical experiment on building undergraduate students’ clinical thinking coupled up with cellular processes and biochemistry understanding

摘要

Introduction: Traditional teaching methods have been criticized for under stimulating students’autonomy. “Problem Based Learning” (PBL) is pointed as a promising tool to improve the development ofstudents’ decision making ability as well as research skills. It is useful to help students with hard sciences-relatedsubjects.Aims: To trigger undergraduate health sciences students’ interest in cell biology, biochemistry andresearch.Methods: UNIRIO students from second semester and above elaborate case reports by means ofanalysis of selected Gaffrée e Guinle University Hospital’s (HUGG) medical records. They receive orientationfrom tutors, and must present the case in classroom to first semester students, showing the cellular and molecularprocesses involved in the illnesses. The case selection contemplates patients with listed metabolic diseases.Results: Classroom participation increased. A crescent amount of students have volunteered to enter theproject after they pass the course, including a few who have previously failed, indicating that the methodinfluenced student-course relation.Conclusion: The case report elaboration and presentation have enriched classroom experience,modifying the traditional teacher-centred method into a dynamic collaboration between the parts. Students areexposed to tangible connections among Biochemistry, Cell biology and Clinical Practice, which is valuable tocourses that usually bring the students to question the “real life” use of the taught information.This project was approved by the HUGG′s Research Ethical Committee and has funding support of theUNIRIO′s Extension Department.