REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE ON PBL IN THE CLINICAL SETTING

Background: There has been an abundant flow of information written abo ut problem-based curricula in the basic sciences. However, there is li ttle collective information about its use in the clinical setting. Thi s article reviews the literature concerning the implementation of prob lem-based learning (PBL) in the clinical setting and draws conclusions regarding its misconceptions and feasibility. Summary: The authors fo und numerous articles that described PBL programs in undergraduate, gr aduate, and continuing medical education, but only a handful met the c riteria outlined in Barrows' taxonomy of PBL. Many programs produced i nteresting innovations in clinical education, but they should not be l abeled PBL. Conclusions: When writing about PBL, authors should descri be how their program fits or departs from a PBL taxonomy and provide e nough detail to permit others to replicate it. In addition, there rema ins a dire need for more experimental studies to warrant the extensive use of problem-based learning in the clinical setting.