Effectiveness of Team-based Learning as teaching tool and its perception among medical undergraduates in Community Medicine

Introduction : Team-based Learning (TBL) is an innovative active learning strategy that fosters teamwork, critical thinking, and problem-solving, gaining traction in medical education. Traditional lecture-based methods in Community Medicine often lack student engagement and fail to promote higher-order thinking skills necessary for addressing complex public health issues. The study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of TBL in Community Medicine and assess its perception among third-year MBBS students, promoting peer-assisted learning through interaction and cooperation. Objectives: 1) To assess the effectiveness of TBL in Community Medicine. 2) To evaluate students' perceptions of TBL. Methodology : An interventional control study was conducted with 100 third-year medical undergraduates at Mahadevappa Rampure Medical College, Kalaburagi, over 5 months (August 2024 to December 2024). Inclusion criteria included Phase III Part I MBBS students who consented to participate. Data collection involved pre-validated MCQ questionnaires for both the study and control groups, along with a perception questionnaire for the TBL group. Results : Students in the TBL group showed a statistically significant improvement in post-test scores compared to the control group (p < 0.05). Engagement was high, with 87% of students finding TBL more engaging than lectures, 82% noting improvements in problem-solving and critical thinking skills, and 90% appreciating the collaborative nature of TBL. Challenges included time constraints for pre-class preparation (32%) and balancing TBL with other academic responsibilities. Conclusion : The study demonstrates TBL's effectiveness as a student-centered method in medical education, significantly enhancing academic performance among third-year MBBS students in Community Medicine.