Background: There is increasing interest in educational methods that are loosely aggregated under the title of problem-based learning (PBL), but it remains unclear whether PBL is as successful as its conventional predecessor in transmitting factual information.

Materials and methods: The authors designed and implemented a PBL curriculum for a third-year surgical clerkship, then prospectively compared that technique with the conventional format. Each student's subject-related knowledge was assessed with a specifically tallored 195-question written exam and correlated with National Board of Medical Examiners shelf exams. Student and faculty responses to the technique were also sought and tabulated.

Results: Student and faculty responses to PBL were uniformly positive. We were unable, however, to demonstrate effects on our evaluation instruments. Neither individual student performance nor grouped scores differed based on the mode of presentation.

Conclusion: A PBL curriculum generates both student and faculty enthusiasm. Unfortunately, this does not translate into more efficient transmission of knowledge.