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Background Problem-Based Learning (PBL) has become an integral part of medical student education for preclinical curricula, but few studies have evaluated the benefits of a PBL curriculum for clinical education. This study aims to assess the 1-year experience after implementing a resident-led PBL program for the third-year (MS3) surgery clerkship and compare students’ self-reported preparedness following PBL sessions to traditional faculty-led lectures.Methods Surgical faculty and residents developed a PBL curriculum to address common topics in surgical education. Pandemic requirements necessitated a switch from in-person to virtual sessions during the experience. Students enrolled in the MS3 surgical clerkship were asked to participate in a survey. Demographics and clerkship data were obtained. Quality of PBL and faculty-led lectures were assessed using a ten-point Likert scale, and standard statistical analyses were performed.Results During the study period, 165 students rotated through surgery, of which 129 (78%) responded to the survey (53% female, 59% white). PBLs were held in-person (53%), exclusively virtual (32%) or hybrid (15%) platforms. In-person PBLs were preferred to faculty-led lectures for preparing students for NBME examinations (6.9 vs 6.0), oral examinations (7.8 vs 6.3), and surgical cases (6.3 vs 5.8), all P< .001. Virtual PBLs were also preferred to lectures for preparing students for NBME examinations (6.8 vs 5.8, P< .001) and surgical cases (5.6 vs 4.8, P= .05).Conclusions PBL is a valuable adjunct for medical student education. Resident-led PBLs were preferred to faculty-led lectures for preparing students for examinations and clerkship experiences and may be useful adjuncts to clinical education.

Background During the COVID-19 emergency, medical students were mandated to remain home, creating challenges to providing education remotely for third-year clinical rotations. This study aims to assess student reception and investigate objective outcomes to determine if online learning is a suitable alternative.Methods Medical students enrolled in the third-year surgical clerkship during COVID-19 were asked to participate in a survey. 19 of 27 (70%) students participated. Content, faculty-led lectures, and resident-led problem-based learning (PBL) sessions were assessed using a ten-point Likert scale. National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) examination, weekly quiz, and oral examination scores were compared to previous years. Student t-tests compared the groups.Results The median age was 25 years. Comparing in-person to electronic sessions, there was no difference in effectiveness of faculty sessions preparing students for NBME (6.2 vs. 6.7, P= .46) or oral examinations (6.4 vs. 6.8, P= .58); there was also no difference in resident-led PBL sessions preparing students for NBME (7.2 vs. 7.2, P= .92) or oral examinations (7.4 vs. 7.6, P= .74). Comparing this group to students from the previous academic year, there was no difference in weekly quiz (85.3 vs. 87.8, P= .13), oral examination (89.8 vs. 93.9, P= .07), or NBME examination (75.3 vs. 77.4, P= .33) scores.Discussion Surgical medical didactic education can effectively be conducted remotely through faculty-led lectures and resident-led PBL sessions. Students did not have a preference between in-person and electronic content in preparation for examinations. As scores did not change, electronic education may be adequate for preparing students for examinations in times of crisis such as COVID-19.