Logical debate on problem based learning

Editor—Burke et al deal with an area of importance for medical education.¹ They perhaps overstated their case—that students validate problem based learning.

Students on a problem based learning course could reasonably be expected to have had explanations of its aims and hence to respond to questions about course content more in line with that information than other students. This must be a potential source of bias in their responses.

What the “traditional” curriculum represents is not clear, and, given the changes across the UK, this needs to be clear for valid comparison. The year group of students is not mentioned, which could have an impact on their responses, especially in the earlier years of training.

The final statement seems to be unsupported by the evidence presented, following a logical approach to the argument.² The final statement should be along the lines of “Students from an unspecified school taking a problem based learning approach to the curriculum perceive that they spend greater time gathering and analysing information and less time memorising details than students at an unspecified school following an undefined but, for the purposes of this study `traditional,' curriculum, which shows that problem based learning can influence students' perception of these aspects of the GMC recommendations better than a `traditional' curriculum.” Is the outcome of this that we train better doctors? As Burke et al say, the evidence base for this is still limited, and their letter cannot add as it limits itself to students' perception.

In terms of validation, the letter shows that it may be feasible to use problem based learning to achieve the specified GMC objective of discouraging memorising of detail in favour of information gathering and problem solving.³ What other questions were asked of the students and their perceptions of how well problem based learning allowed them to develop their skills? Anecdotal information from doctors trained under problem based learning curriculums implies that how the learning is delivered can vary from the method intended. The responses of the students completing the questionnaire show that the school has succeeded in at least an important part of their aim in instituting a problem based learning curriculum. Information about how the curriculum in action has matched up with the curriculum on paper would add greater value to the information presented.