ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Public Health and Medical Education
doi: 10.25005/2074-0581-2025-27-2-317-326
PROBLEM-BASED LEARNING: WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT IT TODAY?

V.V. SHKARIN1, O.V. FEDOROVA1, M.YU. KAPITONOVA2, S.B. TALIP2, N. RAMLI2, I.B. BROHI2, L.A. UDOCHKINA3, S.P. GUPALO4

1Volgograd State Medical University, Volgograd, Russian Federation
2Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, Kota Samarahan, Malaysia
3Astrakhan State Medical University, Astrakhan, Russian Federation
4St James Medical School, Arnos Vale, St. Vincent and the Grenadines

Objective: To evaluate the awareness of problem-based learning (PBL) among academic staff in Russian medical universities' Basic Medical Sciences departments. This assessment was conducted using a standardized, partially modified questionnaire. Additionally, the study aimed to explore the faculty's readiness to implement PBL in their curriculum within their departments.

Methods: A total of 268 faculty members from the Basic Medical Sciences departments participated in a survey designed to assess their level of awareness and engagement with PBL as a modern educational approach. The survey data were analyzed using Statistica 10 software, employing statistical methods such as the chi-squared (χ²) test, with a significance level set at p<0.05.

Results: The analysis indicated that faculty members at Russian medical universities generally possessed a relatively high level of awareness regarding PBL (72%). This awareness was significantly associated with various factors: gender (p<0.05, with higher awareness in women), age (p<0.01, peaking among those aged 41-50), academic degree (p<0.05, being highest among PhD holders), and teaching experience (p<0.01, most prevalent in lecturers with 5-10 years of experience). However, awareness was not shown to be related to academic position. However, only a few lecturers received formal training in PBL (21%), and fewer implemented the obtained skills in their teaching practices (46%). The level of knowledge about PBL among respondents was categorized as high, medium, and low in 7.6%, 45.8%, and 46.5%, respectively. Knowledge levels were associated with age (p<0.05) but not with other socio-demographic or professional factors.

Conclusion: The collected data can identify faculty members best prepared to participate in the pilot project introducing PBL in Russian medical schools’ curricula.

Keywords: Problem-based learning, preclinical medical education program, faculty, lecturers, awareness.

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Authors' information:

Shkarin Vladimir Vyacheslavovich,
Doctor of Medical Sciences, Full Professor, Rector of the Volgograd State Medical University
Researcher ID: 7004635865
ORCID ID: 0000-0002-7520-7781
E-mail: vlshkarin@mail.ru

Fedorova Olga Valentinovna,
Candidate of Medical Sciences, Associate Professor, Associate Professor of the Department of Histology, Embryology, Cytology, Volgograd State Medical University
Researcher ID: 57220531145
ORCID ID: 0000-0003-0481-9155
E-mail: ovfedorova@yandex.ru

Kapitonova Marina Yuryevna,
Doctor of Medical Sciences, Full Professor, Professor of the Department of Fundamental Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak
Researcher ID: 8854275100
Scopus ID: 8854275100
ORCID ID: 0000-0001-6055-3123
E-mail: kmarina@unimas.my

Talip Saiful Bahri,
MD, Senior Lecturer of Anatomy, Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak
Researcher ID 57191838596
Scopus ID: 57191838596
ORCID ID: 0000-0001-9470-4559
E-mail: tsbahri@unimas.my

Ramli Norhida,
MD, Candidate of Medical Sciences, Senior Lecturer, Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak
Researcher ID: 56893285800
Scopus ID: 56893285800
ORCID ID: 0000-0002-8764-5340
E-mail: rnorhida@unimas.my

Brohi Imam Bux,
MD, Associate Professor of the Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak
ORCID ID: 0000-0001-7574-2154
E-mail: bimam@unimas.my

Udochkina Larisa Albertovna, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Full Professor, Head of the Department of Anatomy, Astrakhan State Medical University
Researcher ID: 57191331798
ORCID ID: 0000-0001-5016-0633
E-mail: udochkin-lk@mail.ru

Gupalo Sergey Petrovich,
MD, MS, Associate Professor of Pathology, St. James Medical Institute
Researcher ID: 56657520000
ORCID ID: 0000-0002-8487-1409
E-mail: sgupalo@mail.sjsm.org

Information about support in the form of grants, equipment, medications

The authors did not receive financial support from manufacturers of medicines and medical equipment

Conflicts of interest: No conflict

Address for correspondence:

Marina Kapitonova,
MD, PhD Professor of the Department of the Basic Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak

94300, Kota Samarahan, Malaysia

Tel.: +60 (176) 243699

E-mail: kmarina@unimas.my


This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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