Integrating multidisciplinary team teaching with case-based learning in urology internship education

TL;DR

A new teaching method combining multidisciplinary teams and case-based learning was tested in urology intern training, showing improved student satisfaction but not higher test scores.

Contribution

This study introduces a multidisciplinary team-enhanced case-based learning model for urology intern education and evaluates its feasibility and learner acceptance.

Findings

MDT-CBL interns showed a non-significant increase in knowledge test scores compared to traditional teaching.

65.6% of MDT-CBL interns preferred the new model post-intervention, indicating strong learner engagement.

The MDT-CBL model was well-accepted and fostered interdisciplinary collaboration among interns.

Abstract

To evaluate the feasibility and initial efficacy of a multidisciplinary team (MDT)-enhanced case-based learning (CBL) approach within urology clinical internship training.

A pilot, cluster-randomized controlled study was conducted at Peking University Third Hospital from January 2022 to September 2023. Eighty-four medical interns in clinical medicine were allocated by pre-formed training groups: 32 to the experimental (MDT-CBL: multidisciplinary team-enhanced case-based learning) group and 52 to the control (traditional teaching) group. The MDT-CBL model integrated urologists, radiologists, and ultrasonographers in teaching structured around real clinical cases. Outcomes included a 20-item written test on urological knowledge and a questionnaire assessing teaching method preference before and after the intervention.

Interns in the MDT-CBL group achieved a higher mean score on the knowledge test (6.2 ± 2.5) compared to the control group (5.8 ± 3.4), though this difference did not reach statistical significance (p = 0.52). Subjectively, the intervention was highly accepted: 65.6% (21/32) of interns in the experimental group preferred the MDT-CBL model post-intervention, with 17 interns switching their preference from the traditional method. This indicates a strong positive shift in learner engagement.

The integration of an MDT framework with CBL in urology internship training presents a well-accepted and engaging educational model. While this pilot study did not show a statistically significant advantage over traditional teaching in a written test of foundational knowledge, it was associated with significantly higher learner satisfaction and preference. These findings suggest the model’s primary value may lie in enriching the learning experience and fostering early interdisciplinary collaboration.

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