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. 2023 Jul 17;23(1):512.
doi: 10.1186/s12909-023-04508-6.

Enhancing medical education in respiratory diseases: efficacy of a 3D printing, problem-based, and case-based learning approach

Xuebo Yan  1 , Yingying Zhu  1 , Lei Fang  1 , Peishan Ding  1 , Shu Fang  2 , Jinhua Zhou  2 , Jiong Wang  3
Affiliations

Enhancing medical education in respiratory diseases: efficacy of a 3D printing, problem-based, and case-based learning approach

Xuebo Yan et al. BMC Med Educ. .

Abstract

Objectives: The present study aims to investigate the efficacy of utilizing three-dimensional (3D) printing technology in concert with Problem-Based Learning (PBL) and Case-Based Learning (CBL) pedagogical approaches in educating senior undergraduate clinical medical students on respiratory diseases.

Methods: A cohort of 422 fourth-year clinical medicical students of from Anhui Medical University, pursuing a five-year program, were arbitrarily segregated into two distinct groups. The experimental group was subjected to a combined pedagogical approach, which included 3D printing technology, PBL and CBL (referred to as DPC). Conversely, the control group was exposed to conventional teaching methodologies for respiratory disease education. The effectiveness of the teaching methods was subsequently appraised using both theoretical test scores and custom questionnaires.

Results: Post-quiz scores indicated a statistically significant improvement in the DPC group as compared to the traditional group (P < 0.01). Self-evaluation and satisfaction questionnaires revealed that the DPC group's self-assessment scores outperformed the traditional group in several aspects, including clinical thinking ability, learning initiative, self-study ability, anatomical knowledge mastery, confidence in learning, ability to analyze and solve problems, comprehension of the knowledge, help to clinical thinking and level of satisfaction on the teaching methods (P < 0.01). However, within the unsatisfied DPC sub-group, none of these self-assessment aspects, except for comprehension of the knowledge, impacted the learning efficacy (P > 0.05).

Conclusion: The deployment of the DPC pedagogical approach may confer unique experiential learning opportunities for students, potentially enhancing theoretical test scores and promoting self-evaluation and satisfaction in the context of respiratory disease education. Hence, it may be instrumental in augmenting the overall teaching efficacy.

Keywords: 3D printing technology; CBL teaching; Clinical teaching; PBL teaching; Respiratory disease.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
A flowchart of study design
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
3D reconstruction of bronchial lung cancer space-occupying lesion model
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
3D printed bronchial lung cancer space-occupying lesion model
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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