Abstract:

PBL is one of the most important developing direction in health science specialties education. Many medical schools have adopted PBL as the educational and philosophical basis of their curricula and included it within their portfolio of teaching methods or have converted their undergraduate programs to PBL.

David Tvildiani Medical University (DTMU) has implemented PBL (mostly as educational methodology) in the MD undergraduate program’s basic science stage (currently called Basic Medical and Clinical Sciences stage) in the framework of EU-funded TEMPUS project “Establishment of the Supra-Regional Network of the National Centers in Medical Education, Focused on PBL and Virtual Patient (ePBLnet) ”.

DTMU has:
(I) developed new curriculum model and educational strategy;
(II) introduced new themes for the curriculum;
(III) created new learning situations;
(IV) established new aims and tools for teaching;
(V) defined new methods for assessment and
(VI) developed new structures for staff development (Medical Education Centre).

However, PBL is also a matter of some controversy - is PBL appropriate to be introduced only in new medical schools or does it have relevance in traditional schools? What is PBL? Can it be introduced in any part of the curriculum?

Project (ePBLnet) and program development group members of DTMU during this period of time (before planning stage, modernization and implementation process, early stage of exploration of new program) think, discuss investigate possible “advantages and disadvantages of PBL”; “Relationship of PBL to other educational strategies and curriculum development”; “How the PBL process can be implemented in DTMU”.

Based on literature review and our own experience we create our opinion regarding:
(I) our interest in PBL;
(II) PBL as an approach to learning and curriculum design;
(III) PBL process;
(IV) Benefits for program;
(V) A specific educational approach based on rules and examples.

Conclusions:
PBL is an important development in MD education, particularly for the pre-clinical years.
It contributes to the blend of DTMU MD Program educational strategy (makes it more consistent with current trends in curriculum planning).
How it can be implemented in practice, what resources and staff are needed to support the PBL process is/must be the responsibility of HEIs.

Keywords:

PBL Implementation, Medical Education, Curriculum Development.