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Developing integrated clinical reasoning competencies in dental students using scaffolded case‐based learning – empirical evidence
Author(s) -
Postma T. C.,
White J. G.
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
european journal of dental education
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.583
H-Index - 41
eISSN - 1600-0579
pISSN - 1396-5883
DOI - 10.1111/eje.12159
Subject(s) - curriculum , test (biology) , medical education , problem based learning , medicine , dental education , psychology , mathematics education , pedagogy , paleontology , biology
This study provides empirical evidence of the development of integrated clinical reasoning in the discipline‐based School of Dentistry, University of Pretoria, South Africa. Students were exposed to case‐based learning in comprehensive patient care (CPC) in the preclinical year of study, scaffolded by means of the four‐component instructional design model for complex learning. Methods Progress test scores of third‐ to fifth‐year dental students, who received case‐based teaching and learning in the third year (2009–2011), were compared to the scores of preceding fourth‐ and fifth‐year cohorts. These fourth‐ and fifth‐year cohorts received content‐based teaching concurrently with their clinical training in CPC . The progress test consisted of a complex case study and 32 MCQ s on tracer conditions. Students had to gather the necessary information and had to make diagnostic and treatment‐planning decisions. Results Preclinical students who participated in the case‐based teaching and learning achieved similar scores compared to final‐year students who received lecture‐based teaching and learning. Final‐year students who participated in the case‐based learning made three more correct clinical decisions per student, compared to those who received content‐based teaching. Students struggled more with treatment‐planning than with diagnostic decisions. Conclusion The scaffolded case‐based learning appears to contribute to accurate clinical decisions when compared to lecture‐based teaching. It is suggested that the development of integrated reasoning competencies starts as early as possible in a dental curriculum, perhaps even in the preclinical year of study. Treatment‐planning should receive particular attention.