"Are We The Guinea Pigs?" - From Student's Points of View

Problem-based learning (PBL) has become a well-established means of teaching and learning medicine since its first implementation at McMaster University, Canada. Many students reported positive experiences of PBL in terms of use of additional learning resources, teamwork, and learning fun. Other felt this method was time-consuming and did not cover the required knowledge base at sufficient depth. Many students, therefore, questioned why they should be the guinea pigs for this new learning scheme when PBL was initially introduced at their medical schools. Having completed his medical training through the PBL curriculum, the author reflected on his own progress and worries encountered during his training, reviewed the essential characteristics of a good PBL student from a student’s point of view, and examined how PBL could influence a student’s career goal and development.