Year I and II – PBL
At Mercer University School of Medicine, students learn medicine the same way they will practice it — as problem-solvers.
Mercer was the first medical school in the United States to fully adopt Problem-Based Learning (PBL), a student-centered approach now used by medical schools nationwide. Instead of primarily learning through lectures, students work through real-world patient cases that help them build the clinical reasoning, communication and problem-solving skills needed for residency and practice.
How PBL Works
Students collaborate in small groups to analyze patient cases, identify learning objectives, research medical evidence and apply their knowledge to diagnosis and treatment decisions. This active learning approach mirrors the realities of clinical practice, where physicians must gather information, evaluate evidence and make informed decisions for their patients.
Why Students Thrive in PBL
Mercer’s competency-based curriculum provides a strong foundation in the biomedical sciences while integrating clinical medicine, population health, evidence-based medicine, medical humanities and medical ethics. By learning foundational sciences in the context of patient care, students gain a deeper understanding of how medical knowledge translates into practice.
Problem-Based Learning helps students develop the habits and skills needed for success in years 3 and 4 of medical school, residency and beyond by:
- Learning medicine in context which helps to connect basic sciences to real patient cases for deeper understanding and retention.
- Developing clinical reasoning and decision-making skills to be able to think like a practicing physician.
- Building teamwork and communication skills to collaborate with peers to solve complex patient problems, which is essential for real-world practice.
- Learning how to independently find, evaluate and apply medical evidence throughout their career.
- Gaining experience working through the same types of challenges physicians face every day.