Imparting child nutritional assessment skills among medical students using hybrid problem-based learning approach in a community setting.

Background: Malnutrition affects up to a third of children in India, with severe and acute malnutrition prevalent among under five children. Nutritional assessment skills for detecting malnutrition in children in primary care settings are vital. Hybrid problem-based learning (HPBL) is an innovative, collaborative, and adaptable instructional learning strategy that can be used to teach medical students clinical skills in a community setting.

Methods: A two-month quasi-experimental study was undertaken in a rural setting with third-year medical students. Faculty members were sensitized and subject experts developed a training module addressing the knowledge, attitude, communication, and practice domains. The students underwent a 3-week training module where pre-testing, case presentation, and group formation in first week, an anchoring lecture, tutorial and self-directed learning and role-play by students in subsequent week, and in last week, case discussion, post-testing, and feedback rounds were done.

Results: In all domains, knowledge (3.8, 0.01), practice (4.3, 0.01), attitude and communication (3.7, 0.01), and proportional satisfactory responses, the HPBL approach resulted in a significant improvement in nutritional assessment competency. Teachers preferred the practical and engaging character of the approach, stating that doubts and questions were better addressed and that they would use it to teach similar topics.

Conclusion: HPBL is an excellent teaching method for clinical skills, like nutritional assessment in simulated/field settings. The novel teaching-learning approach was well received by students and faculty members. Learning outcomes and satisfaction rates enhanced in students and faculty were encouraged to apply the approach to other topics.