Case Based Learning

Case Based Learning (CBL)

What is CBL and why do we use it?

You may have heard of Problem Based Learning (PBL). Case Based Learning (CBL) is similar to PBL and is known to be an effective and efficient method of learning especially in courses where students are required to learn a vast amount of information.

During CBL, students develop key skills needed for working as doctors such as clinical reasoning, how to approach the unknown (such as new clinical situations), to be able to clearly present and discuss patients to colleagues and collaborate with a team in a professional manner. In other words, the students learn how to think like doctors.

When does CBL happen?

CBL runs across all 4 years of our graduate entry MBChB at Warwick Medical School and forms the core of our curriculum. CBL sessions are usually held twice a week for all of the first year and less frequently in years 2-4 as students spend more time in the clinical environment.

How do CBL sessions work?

The students lead the CBL sessions, with a facilitator who does not teach the students but supports the group to learn together, occasionally prompting the group if needed. The cases are based on common and important clinical conditions relevant to the stage of medical school and designed to enable the students to cover as many curricular topics as possible. The PowerPoint slides reveal the initial presentation of a fictitious patient then history, examination findings, further investigation and management. In contrast to cases discussed in the clinical setting where learners are expected to rapidly narrow down the differential diagnoses and form management plans, CBL encourages students to discuss in breadth and depth, unpacking each topic using the case as a framework. The students apply knowledge, experience and perspectives from all members of the group, and critically evaluate resources and connect the case and topics to other learning on the MBChB blocks and themes.

Who is the CBL group?

Our graduate entry medical students come from a wide variety of backgrounds, bringing unique and essential skills, experience, perspectives and knowledge to the patient case during CBL. CBL groups are the same 9-10 students for the whole year and may include students from science, non-science and clinical backgrounds. One of the great strengths of our WMS CBL is when the group come together and the whole group learns far more than one person learning on their own.

For example:

English literature and history graduates who understand humans stories and uncertainty;
performing artists experienced in how to interpret emotions and empathy; pharmacists with in-depth knowledge of pharmacology, health professionals who understand the NHS and to provide expert care for patients;
biologists and chemists who can explain difficult scientific concepts and processes;
mathematicians with the ability to understand complex concepts and statistics,
previous business owners and managers who know how a team works;
physicists and engineers who can communicate the complexities of human circulatory, musculoskeletal and nervous systems;
geographers who can consider the world and human interactions.