Team-based learning (TBL) in the medical curriculum: better than PBL?

Annette Burgess¹, Jane Bleasel², Inam Haq², Chris Roberts^{2

3}, Roger Garsia^{4

5

6}, Tomas Robertson^{2

4}, Craig Mellis^{2

4}

Affiliations

¹ Education Office, Sydney Medical School, Edward Ford Building A27, University of Sydney, Sydney, 2006, Australia. Annette.burgess@sydney.edu.au.
² Education Office, Sydney Medical School, Edward Ford Building A27, University of Sydney, Sydney, 2006, Australia.
³ Sydney Medical School - Northern, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
⁴ Sydney Medical School - Central, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
⁵ Clinical Immunologist, Department of Immunology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Camperdown, 2050, Australia.
⁶ Central Clinical School ( RPAH campus level 4), Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, level 2 Medical Foundation Building Parramatta Rd, Camperdown, NSW, 2050, Australia.

PMID: 29221459
PMCID: PMC5723088
DOI: 10.1186/s12909-017-1068-z

Team-based learning (TBL) in the medical curriculum: better than PBL?

Annette Burgess et al. BMC Med Educ. 2017.

. 2017 Dec 8;17(1):243.

doi: 10.1186/s12909-017-1068-z.

Authors

Annette Burgess¹, Jane Bleasel², Inam Haq², Chris Roberts^{2

3}, Roger Garsia^{4

5

6}, Tomas Robertson^{2

4}, Craig Mellis^{2

4}

Affiliations

¹ Education Office, Sydney Medical School, Edward Ford Building A27, University of Sydney, Sydney, 2006, Australia. Annette.burgess@sydney.edu.au.
² Education Office, Sydney Medical School, Edward Ford Building A27, University of Sydney, Sydney, 2006, Australia.
³ Sydney Medical School - Northern, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
⁴ Sydney Medical School - Central, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
⁵ Clinical Immunologist, Department of Immunology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Camperdown, 2050, Australia.
⁶ Central Clinical School ( RPAH campus level 4), Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, level 2 Medical Foundation Building Parramatta Rd, Camperdown, NSW, 2050, Australia.

PMID: 29221459
PMCID: PMC5723088
DOI: 10.1186/s12909-017-1068-z

Abstract

Background: Internationally, medical schools have long used a variety of approaches to develop hybrid Problem based learning (PBL) curricula. However, Team-based learning (TBL), has gained recent popularity in medical education. TBL maintains the advantages of small group teaching and learning, but in contrast to Problem-based learning (PBL), does not require large numbers of tutors. In 2016, TBL was introduced to Year 1 of the Sydney Medical Program (SMP).This study sought to compare students' perceptions of using TBL in place of PBL.

Methods: Year 1 students (n = 169) completed three PBL and three TBL sessions during one of the following teaching blocks: Musculoskeletal (n = 56), Respiratory (n = 59) or Cardiovascular (n = 54). Student feedback following completion of each block of teaching was collected by questionnaire, using closed and open ended items. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis.

Results: In total, 144/169 (85%) of participants completed a questionnaire regarding PBL, and 152/169 (90%) completed a similar questionnaire regarding TBL. The students found positive aspects of their TBL experience to include the smaller group size, the use of readiness assurance tests, immediate feedback from senior clinicians, and time efficiency. In PBL, students reported that variable expertise of tutors; limited direction; and large group size hindered their learning.

Conclusions: Overwhelmingly, students preferred TBL over PBL, as the optimal teaching strategy. Students found the structure and format of the TBL sessions more conducive to learning, engagement and participation than PBL sessions. Although the use of TBL required an instructional approach, needing direction from the tutor, it remained student-centred, generating a range of positive outcomes. Study results provide confidence to change from PBL to TBL within Year 1 and Year 2 of the SMP in 2017.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Ethics approval and consent to participate

The University of Sydney Human Research Ethics Committee approved the study. Written consent for participation was obtained from participants to enable us to include their data from this study.

Consent for publication

Not applicable.

Competing interests

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Publisher’s Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Figures

**Fig. 1**
Student responses to closed items regarding experience in PBL (N = 144)

**Fig. 2**
Student responses to closed items regarding their experience in TBL (N = 152)

**Fig. 3**
Student responses to closed items regarding their TBL experience (N = 152)

See this image and copyright information in PMC

Cited by

Effective Veterinary Clinical Teaching in a Variety of Teaching Settings.
Carr ANM, Kirkwood RN, Petrovski KR. Carr ANM, et al. Vet Sci. 2022 Jan 5;9(1):17. doi: 10.3390/vetsci9010017. Vet Sci. 2022. PMID: 35051101 Free PMC article. Review.
Knowledge of and attitudes to occupational and sports medicine among medical students in Zagreb, Croatia.
Žaja R, Brborović H, Oroz D, Zahariev Vukšinić K, Bubaš M, Božić T, Milošević M. Žaja R, et al. Arh Hig Rada Toksikol. 2021 Jun 28;72(3):135-139. doi: 10.2478/aiht-2021-72-3535. Arh Hig Rada Toksikol. 2021. PMID: 34187109 Free PMC article.
Modern techniques of teaching and learning in medical education: a descriptive literature review.
Challa KT, Sayed A, Acharya Y. Challa KT, et al. MedEdPublish (2016). 2021 Jan 21;10:18. doi: 10.15694/mep.2021.000018.1. eCollection 2021. MedEdPublish (2016). 2021. PMID: 38486533 Free PMC article.
The Relationship Between Engagement Time in Case-based Learning and Performance on Preclinical Medical Education Exams.
Tuin AM, Schechter T, Eno CAH. Tuin AM, et al. Med Sci Educ. 2024 Jul 13;34(6):1289-1293. doi: 10.1007/s40670-024-02112-x. eCollection 2024 Dec. Med Sci Educ. 2024. PMID: 39758470 Free PMC article.
Integrating team-based and peer-teaching strategies for standardized dental residency: a path to active learning and professional growth.
Wang L, Chen P, Wang X, Wei S, Lin J, Jing X. Wang L, et al. BMC Med Educ. 2025 Apr 26;25(1):618. doi: 10.1186/s12909-025-07023-y. BMC Med Educ. 2025. PMID: 40287670 Free PMC article.

See all "Cited by" articles

References

1. Kinkade S. A snapshot of the status of problem-based learning in U.S. Medical Schools, 2003–04. Acad Med 2005;80:300–301. - PubMed
1. Lim WK. Dysfunctional problem-based learning curricula: resolving the problem. BMC Med Ed. 2012;12:89. doi: 10.1186/1472-6920-12-89. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
1. Burgess A, Ayton T, Mellis C. Implementation of team-based learning in year 1 of a PBL based medical program: a pilot study. BMC Med Educ. 2016;16:49. doi: 10.1186/s12909-016-0550-3. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
1. Hendry G, Ryan G, Harris J. Group problems in problem-based learning. Med Teach. 2003;25(6):609–616. doi: 10.1080/0142159031000137427. - DOI - PubMed
1. Hendry G, Lyon P, Henderson-Smart C. Teachers’ approaches to teaching and responses to student evaluation in a problem-based medical program. Assessment Eval High Educ. 2007;32(2):143–157. doi: 10.1080/02602930600801894. - DOI

MeSH terms

Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions

LinkOut - more resources

Full Text Sources
Other Literature Sources
- scite Smart Citations

Save citation to file

Email citation

Add to Collections

Add to My Bibliography

Your saved search

Create a file for external citation management software

Your RSS Feed