The teaching curriculum in anesthesia involves traditional teaching methods like topic-based didactic lectures, seminars, and journal clubs; intraoperative apprenticeship; and problem-based learning (PBL) and simulation. The advantages of incorporating PBL in anesthesia teaching include development of skills like clinical reasoning, critical thinking, and self-directed learning; in addition it also helps in developing a broader perspective of case scenarios. The present paper discusses the characteristics, key elements, and goals of PBL; various PBL methods available; lacunae in the existing knowledge of PBL research; its current status and future perspectives in anesthesia teaching. 1. Introduction The postgraduate (PG) medical education and training in anesthesia have undergone advanced transformation in the last decade due to growing interest in anesthesia and pain management specialty, easily accessible internet services, and availability of various learning and skill acquisition courses. The teaching curriculum in anesthesia involves traditional teaching methods like topic-based didactic lectures, seminars, and journal clubs; intraoperative apprenticeship; and problem-based learning (PBL) and simulation. The traditional lecture-based approach is applied universally; however, it restricts the development of power of creativity, critical thinking, and reasoning skills as the learner plays a passive role in this approach [1]. Although simulation is considered a powerful generic tool for teaching and dealing with human performance issues (e.g., training, research), it is associated with many limitations like exorbitant cost, the need of infrastructure, and trained faculty [2]. PBL thus stands desirable as it is comparatively easier to implement and is readily accepted by the students [1]. Problem-based learning is a student-centered pedagogy in which students in small groups learn about a subject through the experience of problem solving. It is also defined as “active learning stimulated by and focused around a clinical or scientific problem” [3]. The key point is that learning commences as a problem that the learner seeks to solve [4, 5]. Problem-based learning is considered complex and heterogeneous as it constitutes a wide variety of educational methods as shown in Table 1 [6]. In classical or inquiry-based PBL, students are given a planned, contextualized patient problem along with the resources for the self-directed learning. Following this, the group formulates objectives and the students are allowed free enquiry in tutor led group [7].
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