Participation in Active Learning Correlates to Higher Female Performance in a Pipeline Course for Underrepresented Students in Medicine

This study was designed to explore the relationship between participation (measured by percentage of time spoken) in team-based learning (TBL) exercises and final examination in a 4-week medical microbiology course for college students from backgrounds underrepresented in medicine (URM). A significant correlation was found between participation and examination scores in lower performing students. Although male participation was higher, a significant correlation between participation and examination scores was found only in females. These data suggest that female participation is based on knowledge of the subject under discussion and that affirmation in TBL positively reinforces self-confidence, increasing student’s efficiency during peer teaching.