Combined Application of Study Design and Case-Based Learning Comprehensive Model in Epidemiology Teaching

This paper aims to conduct the SD-CBL (study design with the case based learning, SD-CBL) in Epidemiology teaching and evaluate its effect. Students from five classes were recruited, and a combined comprehensive teaching model of SD-CBL was used in the "Injury Epidemiology" chapter, while other chapters in "Epidemiology" curriculum were using a teaching model of case based learning (CBL) only or single PowerPoint (ppt) teaching (it was considered as a traditional teaching in many universities). In the final of the semester, the effects of these three teaching models were compared in different majors and different students source. We found that SD-CBL comprehensive teaching model was better than ppt only and CBL teaching methods (P<0.001, P = 0.007), and the significant differences were found in the increased scoring rate between different majors and different students source (P<0.001, P = 0.015). Thus, we concluded that the SD-CBL teaching model is effective and worth to promote in "Epidemiology" teaching, especial in chapters of epidemiology application. Moreover, it is recommended to conduct SD-CBL teaching model in students, who are major in medicine and have good science basis.