Role of small group interactive sessions in two different curriculums based medical colleges

Objective: To study students perceptions of the usefulness of small group interactive sessions in medical colleges using conventional or problem based learning (PBL) teaching. Methods: A cross sectional descriptive study was carried out from January 2010 to December 2010. Student s perception of the usefulness of small group interactive sessions (SGIS) was evaluated through a questionnaire filled by 100 first year MBBS students, each from two medical colleges using different teaching strategies. The colleges were labeled Group I, PBL Based Medical College (PBL-MC) and Group II; Conventional Medical College (CMC). Incomplete questionnaires (13 from Group 1 and 8 from Group 2 were excluded). Data were entered and compared using SPSS version 15. Differences were considered significant at p values 0.05 after application of chi square test. Results: Responses of 179 students of Group I and II, revealed importance of small group interactive sessions in the understanding of content and facilitation in active learning. Significant difference in perception was found with respect to better interaction, confidence, clinical application and preparation for university examinations in CMC students. Conclusion: The importance of SGIS in learning of medical students cannot be overlooked in conventional teaching however in PBL-MC a combination of educational strategies can be employed for better learning of students.