PROBLEM BASED LEARNING AND THE CONSTRUCTION OF MEDICAL KNOWLEDGE

Problem Based Learning (PBL) is a group strategy that elaborates on two questions: first, what do students learn while working the PBL?; and second, are students learning what they need to become experts? For this study, a question for the descriptive epistemological level according to Propositional Analysis Model Campos and Gaspar (1997) was developed on the congenital malformation known as "Tetralogy of Fallot". The question was applied before and two weeks after PBL third sessions to 35 first year medical students, at the School of Medicine of Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM). The answers obtained were analysed using Excell Microsoft Officie 2007 in four categories: conceptual map; clarity; accuracy; and, use of scientific language. When comparing the two sets of answers, 50 % of students increased the number of concepts in correspondence; 75% increased the quality of concepts; 70% improved clarity of text; 80% increased speech accuracy; and, 45% increased the use of medical scientific terms in their texts. The results indicate that ABP sessions allow students to increase their level of conceptualization that while developing clear and precise speeches where they incorporates a greater number of medical and scientific terminology.