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Problem-based learning in resource-poor settings: lessons from a medical school in Ghana

Overview of attention for article published in BMC Medical Education, December 2015
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  • Above-average Attention Score compared to outputs of the same age (53rd percentile)
  • Above-average Attention Score compared to outputs of the same age and source (53rd percentile)

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1 Redditor

Citations

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167 Mendeley
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Title
Problem-based learning in resource-poor settings: lessons from a medical school in Ghana
Published in
BMC Medical Education, December 2015
DOI 10.1186/s12909-015-0501-4
Pubmed ID
Authors

Daniel Amoako-Sakyi, Harold Amonoo-Kuofi

Abstract

Problem-based learning (PBL) is arguably one of the most important innovations in medical education in the last century. The evident benefits of PBL and the changing face of medicine and medical education have led many institutions including those in resource-poor settings to consider the adoption of PBL curricula. However, experts are uncertain about how successful PBL will be in such settings, as literature on the implementation of PBL in resource-poor settings appears to be inadequate. The University of Cape Coast is located in a resource-poor setting, however, its medical school has used PBL curriculum since 2007. In a descriptive prose, this article discusses the PBL implementation processes, the challenges faced, the mitigation strategies employed, and the lessons learned at University of Cape Coast School of Medical Sciences (UCCSMS). The arguments fall under the broad themes of curricular structure, resource constraints, faculty development, and assessment. The peculiar socioeconomic situation of Ghana, challenges in funding of tertiary education, and the resource implications of PBL provided the context for the arguments. It emerged out of the discussion that PBL has to be implemented as whole curriculum to be effective. Regular faculty development activities on PBL and the alignment of assessment methods with PBL also emerged as important issues in the discussion. The article argues that in spite of its cost implication, a PBL curriculum can be successfully implemented in resource-constrained settings.

X Demographics

X Demographics

The data shown below were collected from the profiles of 3 X users who shared this research output. Click here to find out more about how the information was compiled.
Mendeley readers

Mendeley readers

The data shown below were compiled from readership statistics for 167 Mendeley readers of this research output. Click here to see the associated Mendeley record.

Geographical breakdown

Country Count As %
Iraq 1 <1%
Netherlands 1 <1%
South Africa 1 <1%
Unknown 164 98%

Demographic breakdown

Readers by professional status Count As %
Student > Master 35 21%
Researcher 14 8%
Student > Bachelor 14 8%
Unspecified 11 7%
Student > Postgraduate 10 6%
Other 47 28%
Unknown 36 22%
Readers by discipline Count As %
Medicine and Dentistry 45 27%
Social Sciences 29 17%
Unspecified 11 7%
Nursing and Health Professions 7 4%
Psychology 7 4%
Other 28 17%
Unknown 40 24%
Attention Score in Context

Attention Score in Context

This research output has an Altmetric Attention Score of 3. This is our high-level measure of the quality and quantity of online attention that it has received. This Attention Score, as well as the ranking and number of research outputs shown below, was calculated when the research output was last mentioned on 21 December 2015.
All research outputs
#12,940,187
of 22,835,198 outputs
Outputs from BMC Medical Education
#1,524
of 3,323 outputs
Outputs of similar age
#177,535
of 389,743 outputs
Outputs of similar age from BMC Medical Education
#31
of 67 outputs
Altmetric has tracked 22,835,198 research outputs across all sources so far. This one is in the 42nd percentile – i.e., 42% of other outputs scored the same or lower than it.
So far Altmetric has tracked 3,323 research outputs from this source. They typically receive a little more attention than average, with a mean Attention Score of 6.4. This one has gotten more attention than average, scoring higher than 52% of its peers.
Older research outputs will score higher simply because they've had more time to accumulate mentions. To account for age we can compare this Altmetric Attention Score to the 389,743 tracked outputs that were published within six weeks on either side of this one in any source. This one has gotten more attention than average, scoring higher than 53% of its contemporaries.
We're also able to compare this research output to 67 others from the same source and published within six weeks on either side of this one. This one has gotten more attention than average, scoring higher than 53% of its contemporaries.