Strong clinicopathological connection is necessary for the visually demanding field of pathology. Active participation & diagnostic thinking are frequently restricted in traditional lectures[1]. Through the integration of gross & microscopic pathology with real-time clinical scenarios, video-based case discussions facilitate active learning & enhance competency-based outcomes.

By studying the causes, morphological alterations, & functional effects of diseases, pathology serves as the scientific cornerstone of clinical medicine[2]. In order to be competent in pathology, students must not only gain academic knowledge but also learn how to relate both gross & microscopic pathological changes to clinical findings. Clinical decision-making, interpretation of laboratory results, & diagnostic reasoning all depend on this kind of clinicopathological integration[3-4].

The most common teaching method in undergraduate pathology education is still traditional lecture-based training. Even though lectures effectively impart vast amounts of knowledge to a large number of students, they are frequently teacher-centered & offer few chances for critical thinking, active engagement, or applying knowledge to clinical situations[5]. As a result, students could struggle to remember ideas, decipher pathological pictures, & apply theoretical knowledge in actual clinical settings.

The National Medical Commission (NMC) in India introduced Competency-Based Medical Education (CBME), which places an emphasis on learner-centered methods that encourage problem-solving, active engagement, self-directed learning, & the integration of fundamental sciences with clinical practice[6]. Innovative teaching-learning techniques that support higher-order cognitive skills rather than merely knowledge acquisition have been fostered by this educational transition.

An innovative teaching strategy called Video-Based Case Discussion (VBCD) blends structured case discussions, pathological image interpretation, & real clinical footage. Learners are encouraged to actively examine clinical situations & develop diagnostic reasoning through exposure to actual or simulated patient contacts, laboratory results, radiographic images, gross specimens, histopathology slides, & supervised faculty discussion[7]. The visual & contextual character of VBCD fosters deeper learning, improves clinicopathological association, enhances engagement, & enables long-term retention of knowledge.

A number of recent research have shown that video-assisted learning enhances medical students' academic performance, motivation, learner satisfaction, & clinical reasoning. Video-based training interventions are especially successful in visually oriented fields including pathology, surgery, radiography, & clinical medicine, according to systematic reviews[8]. Active discussion of real-world clinical issues also promotes critical thinking, cooperative learning, & the fusion of academic ideas with practical application.

There is still little data on the efficacy of video-based case discussions in undergraduate pathology instruction within the Indian CBME program, despite growing interest in digital learning techniques. In order to compare the efficacy of VBCD with conventional lecture-based instruction among undergraduate medical students, the current study was conducted. In comparison to traditional teaching approaches, the study sought to ascertain whether VBCD improves information acquisition, diagnostic reasoning, learner engagement, & overall satisfaction[9-10].

Objectives:

1. To assess the impact of VBCD on students’ understanding of pathological concepts.
2. To evaluate changes in diagnostic reasoning & analytical thinking following exposure to VBCD.
3. To compare learner engagement & satisfaction between VBCD & traditional teaching methods.

A prospective educational interventional comparative study was conducted in the Department of Pathology, Manipal Tata Medical College, Manipal.

The study included undergraduate MBBS students undergoing pathology training according to the National Medical Commission (NMC) Competency-Based Medical Education (CBME) curriculum.

Total participants: 115 students

• Traditional teaching method (n = 112)
• Video-Based Case Discussion (VBCD) method (n = 113)

Participation was voluntary, & informed consent was obtained from all students. Institutional Ethics Committee approval was obtained before commencement of the study.

Group A: Traditional Teaching

Four competencies were taught using conventional didactic lectures with PowerPoint presentations & faculty explanations.

Group B: Video-Based Case Discussion (VBCD)

Four competencies were taught using structured Video-Based Case Discussions consisting of:

• Clinical case videos
• Patient history
• Physical examination findings
• Laboratory investigations
• Radiological images
• Gross pathology specimens
• Histopathology slides
• Faculty-guided interactive discussion
• Diagnostic reasoning exercises
• Clinicopathological correlation

The teaching sessions were standardized regarding learning objectives, teaching duration, & faculty involvement.

Assessment Strategy

• Pre-test: Baseline knowledge assessment.
• Post-test: Assessment immediately following teaching intervention.
• Learner Feedback: Structured Likert-scale questionnaire assessing:
• Concept clarity
• Clinical correlation
• Analytical reasoning
• Engagement & satisfaction

Learner Feedback

Following completion of the teaching sessions, students completed a structured feedback questionnaire based on a 5-point Likert scale assessing:

• Student engagement
• Understanding of concepts
• Clinical correlation
• Interest generated
• Ease of learning
• Confidence in diagnosis
• Satisfaction with teaching methodology
• Preference for future teaching

Statistical Analysis

Data were entered into Microsoft Excel & analyzed using SPSS software version XX.

Continuous variables were expressed as mean ± standard deviation.

The following statistical tests were used:

• Paired t-test for comparison of pre-test & post-test scores within each group.
• Independent t-test for comparison between the Traditional Teaching & VBCD groups.
• Chi-square test for categorical variables where appropriate.

A p-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant.

UG Pathology Curriculum (NMC-Aligned)

Selection of 8 Competencies

(Matched for complexity & importance

VBCD Group         Traditional teaching Group

(4 Competencies)    │     (4 Competencies)

Assessment Strategy

Pre-test → Teaching Session → Post-test

Learner Feedback Assessment

│               Comparative Analysis                 

Table 1: Comparison of pretest & post test marks among two teaching methods

The current study assessed how well undergraduate medical students studying pathology responded to Video-Based Case Discussion (VBCD), an innovative teaching-learning approach, in comparison to traditional lecture-based instruction. The results showed that while both teaching strategies greatly increased students' knowledge, VBCD delivered noticeably larger learning gains, better learner satisfaction, & higher post-test scores[11].

Both groups' pre-test & post-test scores improved statistically significantly (p<0.001), demonstrating the effectiveness of structured educational interventions in improving pathology learning. The VBCD group's mean score increased from 3.22 ± 1.83 to 7.53 ± 2.09, while the standard instruction group's improved from 3.87 ± 1.67 to 5.91 ± 2.01. Students in the VBCD group achieved significantly higher post-test scores (p<0.001) despite having significantly lower baseline knowledge (p=0.006), indicating that VBCD was more successful in promoting learning than traditional lectures.

The active learning environment produced by real-world clinical scenarios, visual displays of pathological data, & facilitated discussion may have contributed to the VBCD group's superior progress. Unlike passive lectures, VBCD encourages learners to examine patient history, correlate clinical observations with pathology, interpret laboratory results, & create differential diagnoses[12]. In line with Bloom's taxonomy & the tenets of competency-based medical education, this kind of cognitive engagement fosters higher-order thinking abilities.

Because pathology mostly relies on identifying gross specimens, microscopic morphology, & disease patterns, visual learning is very crucial. Videos bridge the gap between academic understanding & clinical application by offering dynamic imagery of pathogenic processes. The combination of pathology images & actual clinical cases probably improved comprehension of disease mechanisms & memory recall.

The results align with Zhou et al.'s comprehensive study, which showed that video-based learning greatly enhances information acquisition, procedural skills, learner satisfaction, & long-term retention in health professions education. In a similar vein, Grierson et al. found that video-assisted instructional interventions enhance diagnostic performance, encourage student engagement, & support reflective learning[13].

The educational advantages of VBCD were further reinforced by student feedback. Learners reported higher levels of attention, better understanding of ideas, enhanced clinical correlation, increased confidence in diagnosis, & greater overall satisfaction compared with conventional lectures. Interactive discussions allowed students to participate actively, ask questions, & apply theoretical concepts to practical clinical scenarios, thereby enhancing motivation & lowering passive learning[14].

Constructivist learning theory, which emphasizes knowledge creation through experience, interaction, & contextual learning, is similarly consistent with the current findings. VBCD provides significant clinical context that enables students to integrate new material with past knowledge, resulting in deeper conceptual understanding. Additionally, simultaneous visual & audio information presentation promotes cognitive processing & retention, according to multimedia learning theory.

Nevertheless, certain limitations should be acknowledged. The study was conducted at a single institution, limiting generalizability. Assessment measured immediate learning gains without evaluating long-term knowledge retention. Randomization of competencies rather than students may have introduced potential selection bias. Future multicenter randomized studies with long-term follow-up & assessment of clinical performance would provide stronger evidence regarding the educational effectiveness of VBCD[15].

Overall, the present study demonstrates that Video-Based Case Discussion is an effective, engaging, & learner-centered instructional strategy that significantly enhances knowledge acquisition, diagnostic reasoning, & student satisfaction in undergraduate pathology education. Its integration into routine CBME teaching may improve the quality of pathology education & better prepare students for clinical practice[16].

1. Significant knowledge gain was observed with both teaching methods, confirming that structured approaches effectively enhance learning in pathology.
2. VBCD demonstrated superior effectiveness, with significantly higher post-test scores compared to traditional teaching, indicating improved comprehension & application of concepts.
3. Despite lower baseline (pre-test) scores, students in the VBCD group outperformed the traditional group in the post-test, highlighting the strong educational impact of video-based case discussions.
4. Active engagement & visual learning inherent to VBCD likely contributed to better understanding, clinical correlation, & retention of knowledge.

Traditional teaching & VBCD significantly improved students’ knowledge in pathology. However, VBCD produced a greater learning gain, with significantly higher post-test scores despite lower baseline knowledge. This highlights the effectiveness of visual, case-based, & interactive learning. VBCD can be effectively integrated as an adjunct or alternative to traditional teaching methods in Pathology.

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