Why PBL?

Educators have come to recognize what students have known for years - that the information acquired in veterinary school is too vast to be absorbed in two years of preclinical training. Students must rather become life-long learners, with their educational process continuing throughout their clinical careers. By learning in a clinically relevant format, our goal is to develop a habit of self-directed, student-centered problem-based learning that will stick with you throughout your career. McMaster University was the first medical school to introduce problem-based learning into its curriculum over twenty years ago, and the number of medical and veterinary schools with similar programs has been increasing during the last decade.

The Problem-Based Learning (PBL) program at Tufts was created to meet the needs of the modern veterinary medical student. The "Tufts Model" incorporates PBL into a didactic curriculum to give our graduates five fundamental advantages:

• PBL helps students learn
  People learn more effectively by analyzing and solving problems. Introducing material in the context of a relevant clinical problem better prepares the student to perform in a clinical environment, and it also helps him/her understand why an extensive basic science knowledge base is necessary for the practice of effective clinical medicine.
• PBL integrates lecture material
  PBL helps students integrate and connect the vast amounts of material they receive in lecture, converting it to a working body of information that we can use in future clinical settings.
• PBL provides a different perspective
  During the semester, PBL gives students a chance to explore both clinical and community settings. It encourages students to consider the psychological and social issues facing clients in addition to their animal's physiological problems.
• PBL is fun
  Problem-based learning can be interesting and enjoyable for both faculty and students. It gives students the chance to tackle the kind of problems faced in actual practice, all in a supportive small group setting. Learning in a setting that is fun also reinforces the learning habit.
• PBL teaches problem solving skills
  Exposing students to relevant clinical problems strengthens clinical reasoning skills. PBL helps develop problem-solving skills that are vital for both the third and fourth years and in clinical practice.