Problem-based learning in the clinical practice period：guidance to the theses of the medical imaging technique major

Objective To investigate the value of PBL in guiding the graduation theses of the medical imaging technique major in the clinical practice period. Methods PBL pattern was conducted with the undergraduate interns of Kangda College of Nanjing Medical University of the school year 2010-2012. With medical imaging technique being their major, the students were sent and tutored in the Medical Imaging Department of 2nd Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University. Their results of thesis oral defense were compared with the results of thesis oral defense of other classmates, who interned at other hospitals without PBL, by statistical analysis. A relativity analysis was conducted between the synthetical grades of daily performance of the undergraduate interns in 2nd Affiliated Hospital and their results of oral defense. Results The Wilcoxon＇ s Rank Sum Test was adopted to assess the thesis grades of the undergraduate interns, including those in 2nd Affiliated Hospital and in other hospitals. The result was ＂uc = 10. 0603, uc 〉2.58 and P〈0.01 ＂. The differences showed statistical significance： The quality of theses written by the undergraduate interns with PBL in 2nd Affiliated Hospital was higher than that without PBL in other hospitals. The correlation coefficient （r） between the synthetical grades of daily performance of the undergraduate interns in 2nd Affiliated Hospital and the results of their theses was 0. 383, and P was O. 245. There was no relation of linear correlation （P〉0.05）. Conclusions The undergraduates, who were guided by PBL pattern in the clinical practice period, can complete the graduation theses with efficiency and greatly improve their ability of autonomous learning and independently solving problems. Key words: Problem-based learning;  Graduation thesis;  Clinical practice;  Linear correlation