Effect of the BOPPPS-PBL teaching model on clinical pharmacotherapeutics education for pharmacy undergraduates in Central China: a non-randomized controlled study

The primary research problem addressed in this study is: Compared with the traditional lecture-based learning (LBL) model, does the BOPPPS-PBL integrated teaching model lead to better teaching outcomes in clinical pharmacotherapeutics education for four-year pharmacy undergraduates? This study aimed to explore the effectiveness of the bridge-in, objective, pre-assessment, participatory learning, post-assessment, and summary (BOPPPS) combined with problem-based learning (PBL) on clinical pharmacotherapeutics education for four-year pharmacy undergraduate students. A prospective, non-randomized controlled study was carried out involving 318 four-year undergraduate students of Class 2019 and 2020 in the clinical pharmacotherapeutics course in Zhengzhou University during 2022–2023. The experimental group (Class 2020, n = 162) was subjected to the BOPPPS combined with PBL model (BOPPPS-PBL), whereas the control group (Class 2019, n = 156) received the traditional lecture-based learning (LBL) model. The effectiveness of the teaching intervention was conducted by comparing students’ mastery of knowledge of both groups and anonymous questionnaires composed of the Course Experience Questionnaire (CEQ), the Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory of Chinese Version, the Teachers′ Sense of Self-Efficacy scale (TSES) by the termination of the semester. Independent-sample t-tests were used to compare differences between the two groups, and paired-sample t-tests were applied to compare pre- and post-teaching differences within the same group. Chi-square tests were used for categorical variables. The total scores of the BOPPPS-PBL group were significantly higher than those in the LBL group. More students believed that the BOPPPS-PBL model helped develop their problem-solving and analytic and teamwork skills, enhanced their motivation for learning and ability to plan their own work and critical thinking compared to the LBL model. Teachers in the BOPPPS-PBL group reported higher teaching self-efficacy, indicating that they felt more confident in crafting good questions, using diverse assessment strategies, implementing alternative instructional strategies, helping students value learning, motivating low-interest students, and fostering critical thinking. Compared with the LBL model, students receiving the BOPPPS-PBL model demonstrated higher mastery of knowledge and greater learning effectiveness. higher mastery of knowledge and greater learning effectiveness. Consistent with these findings, teachers also reported higher levels of teaching self-efficacy. In summary, the BOPPPS-PBL model was associated with better teaching outcomes in clinical pharmacotherapeutics education, highlighting its potential as a valuable pedagogical approach.