Effectiveness of selected small group teaching methods for undergraduate medical students on basic concepts of epidemiology: A quasi-experimental study.

Background: Teaching epidemiology to young medical students using traditional teaching techniques is fraught with myriad challenges. Incorporating innovative small group teaching (SGT) approaches that promote active learning, practical application, and critical thinking can help in overcoming these challenges.

Aim/objective: To identify the most effective SGT method from selected three approaches [tutorial technique (TT), problem-based learning (PBL), and fishbowl technique (FBT)] to teach the basic concepts of epidemiology to the third-year undergraduate medical students of a private medical college in Puducherry, Southern India.

Materials And Methods: A quasi-experimental study was conducted among third-year undergraduate medical students for 6 months. The sample size was calculated to be 60 using the nMaster 2.0 sample size software. Three groups were formed with 20 students each. A pre-test, which included fifty multiple-choice questions covering topic one, was conducted for students in all three groups. An SGT session on topic one (dynamics of disease transmission) was held on the same day by different facilitators for three groups A, B, and C using the TT, PBL, and FBT, respectively. After 6 weeks of the SGT session for topic one, a post-test using the same questions was organized for all three groups to identify the effectiveness of each SGT method. The above sequence of events was followed for topic two (study designs) and topic three (investigation of disease outbreak) among all groups in the subsequent months. A written informed consent was sought from all students. The collected data was entered in MS Excel 2010 and analyzed using SPSS 21. The pre- and post-tests for all topics in all three groups were compared using a paired -test, and an ANOVA test was used to find any difference between the groups.

Results: The mean post-test score in each of the three groups for all topics had improved when compared with the mean pre-test score, which was significantly different between the three groups. Further, the mean score of group B (PBL group) was found to be higher than group C (FBT) but not significantly higher compared to group A (TT). The mean score of the feedback where the participants were asked to rate the overall session was found to be high in group B (PBL) followed by group A (TT).

Conclusion: PBL and TT were found to be an equally effective way of small group methods for teaching-learning epidemiology in medical school.