Background: Ophthalmology is an important medical science subject, but it is given with insufficient attention in undergraduate medical education. Flipped classroom (FC) and problem-based learning (PBL) are well-known education methods that can be integrated into ophthalmology education to improve students' competence level and promote active learning.

Methods: We used a mixed teaching methodology that integrated a FC and PBL into a 1-week ophthalmology clerkship for 72 fourth-year medical students. The course includes two major sessions: FC session and PBL session, relying on clinical and real-patient cases. Written examinations were set up to assess students’ academic performance and questionnaires were designed to evaluate their perceptions.

Results: The post-course examination results were higher than the pre-course results, and many students gained ophthalmic knowledge and learning skills to varying levels. Comparison of pre- and post-course questionnaires indicated that interests in ophthalmology increased and more students expressed desires to be eye doctors. Most students were satisffed with the new method, while some suggested the process should be slower and the communication with their teacher needed to strengthen.

Conclusions: FC and PBL are complementary methodologies. Utilizing the mixed teaching meth of FC and PBL was successful in enhancing academic performance, student satisfactions and promoting active learning.

Background: Ophthalmology is an important medical science subject, but it is given with insufficient attention in undergraduate medical education. Flipped classroom (FC) and problem-based learning (PBL) are well-known education methods that can be integrated into ophthalmology education to improve students' competence level and promote active learning.

Methods: We used a mixed teaching methodology that integrated a FC and PBL into a 1-week ophthalmology clerkship for 72 fourth-year medical students. The course includes two major sessions: FC session and PBL session, relying on clinical and real-patient cases. Written examinations were set up to assess students’ academic performance and questionnaires were designed to evaluate their perceptions.

Results: The post-course examination results were higher than the pre-course results, and many students gained ophthalmic knowledge and learning skills to varying levels. Comparison of pre- and post-course questionnaires indicated that interests in ophthalmology increased and more students expressed desires to be eye doctors. Most students were satisffed with the new method, while some suggested the process should be slower and the communication with their teacher needed to strengthen.

Conclusions: FC and PBL are complementary methodologies. Utilizing the mixed teaching meth of FC and PBL was successful in enhancing academic performance, student satisfactions and promoting active learning.

Background: The “flipped classroom” is a learner-centered approach that centers on delivering videos,podcasts or slide-based material to learners prior to a lecture or class session. The class session is then dedicated to discussion, analysis, and problem-solving activities. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the flipped classroom could be adapted to medical (ophthalmology) students learning about ocular trauma and to assess the impact of the flipped classroom on those students’ performance and attitudes.
Methods: Questionnaires (using a 4-point scale) were distributed to 93 fifth-year medical students at Sun Yat-sen University, and the data showed that the majority of students preferred the flipped classroom approach to the traditional lecture method.
Results: The results of pre- and post-test scores were 14.35±3.404 and 20.37±4.356, which showed a significant improvement in students’ performance after the flipped classroom was introduced (P<0.05).
Conclusions: Student response to the flipped classroom strategy was largely positive, indicating that the strategy received a high level of approval in an ophthalmology clerkship course taken by medical students in China.

Background: The “flipped classroom” is a learner-centered approach that centers on delivering videos,podcasts or slide-based material to learners prior to a lecture or class session. The class session is then dedicated to discussion, analysis, and problem-solving activities. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the flipped classroom could be adapted to medical (ophthalmology) students learning about ocular trauma and to assess the impact of the flipped classroom on those students’ performance and attitudes.
Methods: Questionnaires (using a 4-point scale) were distributed to 93 fifth-year medical students at Sun Yat-sen University, and the data showed that the majority of students preferred the flipped classroom approach to the traditional lecture method.
Results: The results of pre- and post-test scores were 14.35±3.404 and 20.37±4.356, which showed a significant improvement in students’ performance after the flipped classroom was introduced (P<0.05).
Conclusions: Student response to the flipped classroom strategy was largely positive, indicating that the strategy received a high level of approval in an ophthalmology clerkship course taken by medical students in China.