Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33092583›Full record

Trial reportBMC medical education2020

The effectiveness of the combined problem-based learning (PBL) and case-based learning (CBL) teaching method in the clinical practical teaching of thyroid disease.

Wanjun Zhao, Linye He, Wenyi Deng, Jingqiang Zhu, Anping Su, Yong Zhang

Abstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Trial report in BMC medical education, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 113 papers, 7 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
113citing papers in PubMed, 7 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

113 citing papers in PubMed, 7 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Evaluating the Efficacy of Case-Based Learning for Medical Oncology Trainees: A Systematic Review.Journal of cancer education : the official journal of the American Association for Cancer Education · 2026
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  16. Problem-Based Learning-Standardized Preoperative Conversation Improves Neurosurgery Residents' Understanding of Cerebellopontine Angle Tumors.Journal of cancer education : the official journal of the American Association for Cancer Education · 2025
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53 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Wanjun ZhaoDepartment of Thyroid Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China.
Linye HeDepartment of Thyroid Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China.
Wenyi DengWest China School of Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China.
Jingqiang ZhuDepartment of Thyroid Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China.
Anping SuDepartment of Thyroid Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China.
Yong ZhangKey Laboratory of Transplant Engineering and Immunology, MOH; West China-Washington Mitochondria and Metabolism Research Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, 37 Guo Xue Xiang, Chengdu, 610041, NO, China. nankai1989@foxmail.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0513-8941

Funding

Sichuan Province Science and Technology Support Program 2019JDKKP0071West China Hospital, Sichuan University 18HXBH074, 18HXBH062
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThis study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of PBL-CBL combined teaching in thyroid surgery and make observations from the students' perspectives, based on their satisfaction with the learning process.

methodsWe prospectively enrolled 354 fourth-year students majoring in clinical medicine, along with 232 residents, from September 2014 to June 2019. These participants were randomly allocated into either the combined PBL-CBL teaching group or the traditional lecture-based classroom group to attend a course about thyroid nodules. Both pre- and post-class quizzes were conducted. An anonymous questionnaire was also administered to both groups to evaluate the students' perceptions and experiences. We compared the two teaching methods among all the students as well as with the fourth-year students and residents in subgroups.

resultsThe traditional group's pre-class quiz scores were significantly higher than the PBL-CBL group's (as determined by a two-tailed t-test at a 95% confidence interval, T = 16.483, P < 0.001). After class, in the PBL-CBL group, the mean total quiz score and the basic knowledge and case analysis scores increased significantly (P < 0.001). The PBL-CBL group's performance improvement was significantly higher than the traditional group's (increasing from 52.76 to 70.51 vs. from 67.03 to 71.97). Furthermore, the scores for learning motivation, understanding, student-teacher interaction, the final examination, communication skills, clinical thinking skills, self-learning skills, teamwork skills, and knowledge absorption, as measured by the survey, were significantly higher in the PBL-CBL group than in the traditional group (P < 0.001). Meanwhile, the survey scores representing the amount of students' free time the course consumed were significantly lower in the PBL-CBL group than in the traditional group (P < 0.001).

conclusionsPBL combined with CBL may be an effective method for improving medical students' and residents' performance and enhancing their clinical skills.

Indexed as

Education, Medical, UndergraduateStudents, MedicalThyroid DiseasesHumansLearningProblem-Based LearningTeachingCase-based learningClinical practical teachingProblem-based learningThyroid surgeryTraditional lecture

Identifiers

PMID33092583
PMCPMC7583209

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.