The Problem Based Learning Pathway with Brooke

Transcript

Everyone. As I was growing up, I was never someone who was completely certain about what I wanted to do for a career. I explored various options, but I kept gravitating towards medicine. I believe that this is because of watching my mom go back to school to become a physician’s assistant. I fully jumped in and decided to take on medical school myself, but my creative side wasn’t interested in the typical medical school experience, and that led me here to the problem-based learning pathway at Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, Bradenton.

What makes the PBL curriculum so unique is its collaborative case-driven approach. Instead of only memorizing information from lecture slides and textbooks, we take that information and work through real patient cases in small groups, learning how to connect subjects like pathology, anatomy, biochemistry, and osteopathic medicine in a meaningful way.

It mirrors the way physicians think and solve problems in actual clinical practice. Every session challenges you to strengthen your critical thinking and clinical reasoning skills. We learn how to analyze patient information, ask thoughtful questions, and work together to develop solutions. That teamwork-based environment has helped me to become a stronger communicator, a more independent learner, and someone who feels prepared to approach medicine from multiple perspectives.

I was also drawn to LECOM because of how much it emphasizes engaging within the community as you continue to grow within your career. You can see this firsthand all around Bradenton as LECOM has numerous community partners, and truthfully, Bradenton is just a great place to be. I’ve loved being here exploring the area because there is such a wide range of things to do.

At LECOM, I’ve learned that medicine is more than mastering science. It’s about learning how to think critically, work collaboratively, and care for the community with empathy and purpose.

Thank you for letting me share my story with you.