Learn about the types of Medical Degree
PBL vs CBL vs Integrated vs Traditional, What do they all mean?
There are various Medical Degrees types which you can apply for in the UK. All degrees will provide the same medical degree result at the end of the 5/6 years, and the teaching style doesn't impact where you can work as a doctor. The styles are:
PBL:
A PBL degree or Problem-Based Learning is a modern teaching style, where medicine is taught through smaller group work. PBL courses often have early clinical exposure from 1st year and focus more on the diagnostics of medicine, compared to the background science. Within the small groups, medicine is taught through presentations, case discussions and group discussions. Students will still be taught anatomy/research etc but small-group teaching will be prioritised for medical learning.
Advantage: Students are usually very empathetic, great communicators and have excellent clinical knowledge and practical skills. Small-group teaching can allow for students to feel more supported, learn more relevant medical information and flourish.
Disadvantage: Students may have a less thorough biomedical background and anatomy knowledge.
Example:
Year 1: Small group teaching, dissection, some basic clinical skills, placement once a week.
Year 2: More placement (2-3 days a week), small group teaching, more advanced clinical skills
Year 3: More placement (2-3 days a week), small group teaching, more advanced clinical skills
Year 4: Full-time placement, occasional small group teaching
Year 5: Full-time placement, occasional small group teaching
CBL:
The CBL degree style is very similar to the PBL course. CBL stands for Case-Based Learning and is focussed on learning medicine through learning clinical cases, rather than lecture-focused. CBL courses typically have early clinical exposure from 1st year and will still have anatomy teaching, medical research but will start to teach clinical skills and patient communication earlier.
Advantage: Students are usually very empathetic, great communicators and have excellent clinical knowledge and practical skills. Small-group teaching can allow for students to feel more supported, learn more relevant medical information and flourish.
Disadvantage: Students may have a less thorough biomedical background and anatomy knowledge.
Example:
Year 1: Small group teaching, dissection, some basic clinical skills, placement once a week.
Year 2: More placement (2-3 days a week), small group teaching, more advanced clinical skills
Year 3: More placement (2-3 days a week), small group teaching, more advanced clinical skills
Year 4: Full-time placement, occasional small group teaching
Year 5: Full-time placement, occasional small group teaching
Traditional:
The traditional way of teaching medicine focuses on a pre-clinical/clinical split. This means that the first 3 (or 4 with intercalation) years of your medical degree are pre-clinical where students are taught the background science, research methods and anatomy through dissection. In the last two years students will
Advantage: Students are usually very knowledgeable with a great background in scientific knowledge. This course may lead to more pre-clinical publications and a thorough knowledge of the background science. Some students flourish with structured lectures and find they learn best in a large classroom environment.
Disadvantage: Students may struggle with the abrupt change to clinical work and will have poor clinical skills/patient communication skills.
Example:
Year 1: Lectures, dissection, laboratory work
Year 2: Lectures, dissection, laboratory work, Medical research
Year 3: Lectures, laboratory work, Medical research
Year 4: Full-time placement, occasional lectures, clinical skills teaching and patient communication teaching
Year 5: Full-time placement, occasional lectures, clinical skills teaching and patient communication teaching
Integrated:
The Integrated Degree type is a mix of Traditional and Modern (CBL/PBL). Many universities will have small differences in their timetable but it follows a general pattern which normally includes the first year as mainly lecture focussed, and placement starting from second year. The course will be taught through a mix of lectures and small-group learning.
Advantage: Students usually have strong pre-clinical and clinical knowledge and have a chance to settle into university before starting on the wards. Students have clinical exposure early and can develop strong clinical skills with a pre-clinical background.
Disadvantage: Students may have a poorer pre-clinical knowledge compared to traditional course types.
Example:
Year 1: Lectures, dissection, laboratory work
Year 2: Placement (1-2 days a week), Basic clinical skills, Lectures, Medical research
Year 3: Placement (2-3 days a week, Lectures, Basic clinical skills, some small-group teaching, Medical research
Year 4: Full-time placement, occasional lectures, clinical skills teaching and patient communication teaching
Year 5: Full-time placement, occasional lectures, clinical skills teaching and patient communication teaching
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