An overview of students in integrated teaching in undergraduate medical education in Bangladesh
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18203/issn.2455-4529.IntJResDermatol20251046Keywords:
Integrated teaching, Undergraduate medical education, MBBS, Academic outcomes, AWMCAbstract
Background: Integrated teaching denotes the integration of different subjects of corresponding phases as well as successive phases of medical education. This newly launched DGME-initiated teaching-learning (T-L) methodology aims to bring evolution to traditionally practiced medical education for undergraduate medical education in Bangladesh. Furthermore, this method is supposed to modify and improve students’ perception of basic knowledge along with prudent association of clinical assessment and expertise. Aim of the study was to evaluate the impact of integrated teaching on first-year MBBS students in terms of academic outcomes and perceptions.
Methods: This cohort study was conducted at the Department of Physiology, Ad-Din Women’s Medical College Hospital, Moghbazar, Dhaka from January 2023 to September 2023. The undergraduate MBBS students (session 2022-23) were enrolled in the study. The outcome of the students was assessed after integrated teaching sessions and the data were recorded through a semi-structured questionnaire. Informed written consent from students was taken. The data from the questionnaires was statistically analyzed and results were obtained using statistical package for the social sciences (SPSS) version 26.
Results: All participants were female, aged 18–21 years, with 39% being international students. Students rated the sessions positively, with 98% agreeing that topics were well-known and 96% confirming sequential delivery by departments. Audio-visual aids (87%) and effective clinical applications (72%) were highlighted as strengths. Areas for improvement included the use of simulated patients (60%) and understanding clinical correlations (58%).
Conclusions: Integrated teaching significantly enhanced students' academic performance and interest in medical education. However, refinement in practical teaching elements, such as simulated patient use, is necessary to maximize its efficacy. These findings support the broader implementation of integrated teaching methodologies in undergraduate medical education.
Metrics
References
Rahman MM, Talukder MH. Views of teachers’ and students’ regarding the distribution of subjects in phase II and phase III of MBBS course. Bangl J Med Educ. 2019;10(2):19-22. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3329/bjme.v10i2.44638
Harden RM, Sowden S, Dunn WR. Educational strategies in curriculum development: The SPICES model. Med Educ. 1984;18:284-97. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2923.1984.tb01024.x
Maxwell S, Walley T; BPS Clinical Section Committee. Teaching safe and effective prescribing in UK medical schools: a core curriculum for tomorrow's doctors. Br J Clin Pharmacol. 2003;55(6):496-503. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2125.2003.01878.x
Umar BU. Changing Perspectives: Should We Integrate Pharmacology in the Clinical Phase? Bangl J Med Sci. 2022;21(2):249. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3329/bjms.v21i2.58056
Rehman R, Iqbal A, Syed S, Kamran A. Evaluation of integrated learning program of undergraduate medical students. Pak J Physiol. 2011;7(2):37-41.
Beane JA. Curriculum integration: Designing the core of democratic education. Teachers College Press. 1997.
Harden RM. The integration ladder: a tool for curriculum planning and evaluation. Med Educ Oxford. 2000;34(7):551-7. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2923.2000.00697.x
Majumder MA. A review of the undergraduate medical curriculum in Bangladesh. Bangl Med J. 2002;31:47-9.
Hossain S, Begum N, Talukder MHK. Teachers’ evaluation of formative assessment on summative assessment in undergraduate medical education. Bangl J Med Educ. 2014;3(1):18-21. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3329/bjme.v3i1.18591
Uddin MN, Asaduzzaman A, Talukder MHK, Giti S. Quality of Teaching-learning in Undergraduate Medical Education in Bangladesh - Views of Stakeholders. Bangl J Med Educ. 2020;11(2):34-42. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3329/bjme.v11i2.49248
Islam MR, Alam KK, Rahman MM. Integration in Undergraduate Medical Course of Bangladesh: Students’ and Teachers’ views. Bangl J Med Educ. 2023;14(1):56-62. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3329/bjme.v14i1.63683
Haque M, Mahadeva RUS. Appraisal on Bangladeshi Medical Didactic approaches, Implementation of Reread Medical Education Curriculum Design, and Suggesting Pharmacology and Therapeutics Discipline throughout the Clinical Years of Graduation epoch. Res J Pharm Tech. 2012;5(11):1428-32.
Miah MAS, Talukder MHK. Expectation of students from their teachers in undergraduate Medical Education in selected Medical Colleges in Bangladesh. Bangl J Med Educ. 2014;3(1):12-7. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3329/bjme.v3i1.18590
Mathur M, Mathur N, Saiyad S. Integrated teaching in medical education: The novel approach. J Res Med Educ Ethics. 2019;9(3):165-73. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5958/2231-6728.2019.00030.1
Panda M, Panda S, Nanda S, Panda M, Garabadu S. Traditional Teaching versus Integrated Teaching in Undergraduate Medical Curriculum, a Comparative Study. Ann Int Med Dent Res. 2019;5(5):1-4.
Kolhe SK, Kadam SS, Narkhede JP, Kulkarni V. Integrated teaching in medical curriculum-undergraduate students’ perception. J Res Method Educ. 2018;8:1-6.
Sharkas GF, El-Masry R, Abdel-Ghany S, Baz AE, Abou-Elsaad T, Kassab AA, et al. Satisfaction of academic medical staff with integrated medical curriculum: an exploratory multinational survey. BMC Med Educ. 2024;24(1):1483. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-024-06468-x
Kolhe SK, Kadam SS, Narkhede JP, Kulkarni V. Integrated teaching in medical curriculum-undergraduate students’ perception. J Res Method Educ. 2018;8:1-6.
Souza AD, Ankolekar VH, Kotian SR, Souza AS, Hosapatna M. Effectiveness of Audio-Visual aids in medical education: A students’ perspective. Int J Health Sci Res. 2014;4(11):228-33.
Nayak KR, Nayak V, Punja D, Badyal DK, Modi JN. Simulated patient videos to supplement integrated teaching in competency-based undergraduate medical curriculum. Adv Physiol Educ. 2023;47(2):296-306. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1152/advan.00167.2022
Sadeqi H, Valiani A, Avizhgan M, Ebrahimi SA, Manteghinejad A, Miralai P, et al. The effect of teaching integrated course of physical examination and radiological anatomy in practical limb anatomy on medical students’ learning outcomes. BMC Med Educ. 2021;21:1-7. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-021-02898-z
Uma P, Rajani K, Usha P. Student’s perception about integrated teaching in an undergraduate medical curriculum. Indian J Basic Appl Med Res. 2011;4(2):47-52.
Ajas SN, Raby A, Hospital K. Perception on Integrated Teaching Approach in Medical Education Among Undergraduate Medical Students. J Cardiovasc Dis Res. 2024;15(5):113-20.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
