Problem-Based Learning in Medical Sciences

Problem-based learning (PBL) was developed nearly 40 years ago and it has been widely adopted in many medical school curricula worldwide. Frequently, students and academic staff members alike, requested for reading materials on PBL. With the rapid increase in the numbers of medical schools in Malaysia and the developing world, it was felt that a handbook would be useful to cover some of the frequently asked questions on PBL, as well as to give a multi-disciplinary and systematic approach to the use of PBL in medical education. 
    This handbook is largely based on the authors’ experiences in using PBL at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya. It is useful for medical and health science students who are probably encountering PBL for the first time in the education system. It is also intended as an adjunct reading material to junior or new academic staff members who are taking their first “baby-steps” in the world of medical education. 
    This handbook is divided into seven chapters. The first five chapters deal with the pedagogical processes of PBL and gives an overview on the fascinating development of PBL in medical education, including its use in the clinical years. In chapter six, we incorporate real case scenarios used in our PBL program. Using this ‘tested’ methodology, the authors’ are confident that students and teachers will be able to utilize a similar approach to the development of PBL in their respective programs.

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