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Background: Pre-analytical variables in clinical chemistry are factors prior to the biochemical analysis of samples affecting laboratory test results accounting for 32-75% of errors leading to misdiagnosis, decreased quality of medical care services and wastage of monetary resources. Aim: To educate first year medical undergraduates about pre-analytical variables through case based discussion and lecture method of teaching and assess the gain in knowledge by these methods. Methods and material: Two batches of medical students namely A (N=50) and B (N=52) were assessed for their background knowledge on the topic using an MCQ based questionnaire (pre-test). Batch A and B were taught through didactic lecture and case based discussion respectively. Post-test questionnaire was conducted to test the gain in knowledge of both batches. Delayed post-test was conducted after 2 weeks to assess retention of knowledge amongst students. Results: Pre-test scores of Batch A and B were not significantly different indicating that both batches had similar background knowledge of topic. Post-test scores vs. pre-test scores were significantly higher in both batches implying that both batches benefitted from their respective teaching sessions. But post-test score of Batch B was significantly higher than that of Batch A indicating higher gain of knowledge through case based discussion. Delayed post-test score was also significantly higher in Batch B vs. A implying better retention of knowledge through case based discussions. Conclusion: Topic ˜Pre-analytical variables in clinical chemistry must be included in undergraduate medical curriculum. Case based discussion could be an effective module for teaching the same. Key words: Case based discussion; Didactic lecture; Medical students; Medical education; Pre-analytical variables.

The graduate medical students often get less opportunity for clarifying their doubts and to reinforce their concepts after lecture classes. Assessment of the effect of MCQ preparation by graduate medical students as a revision exercise on the topic “Mineral metabolism.” At the end of regular teaching module on the topic “Mineral metabolism,” graduate medical students were asked to prepare the stems of 15 MCQs based on the four discriminators given for each. They were told that one of the discriminators could be the answer for the MCQ and the remaining three could be the distracters. They were further guided in their task by providing few key word(s) in the stem of the expected MCQ. In the first phase of the exercise, the students attempted the MCQ preparation individually without peer consultation. In the second phase, the students participated in small group discussion to formulate the best MCQs of the group. The effects on low, medium, and high achievers were evaluated by pre and post-tests with the same set of MCQs. Both the individual endeavor in Phase 1 and small group discussion in Phase 2 for the formulation of MCQs significantly contributed to the gain from the exercise. The gains from the individual task and from small group discussion were equal among the different categories of students. Both phases of the exercise were equally beneficial for the low, medium, and high achievers. The high and medium achievers retained the gain from the exercise even after 1 week of the exercise whereas the low achievers could not retain the gain completely. Formulation of MCQs is an effective and useful unconventional revision exercise in Biochemistry for graduate medical students.