A Team-Based Learning (TBL) session begins by preparing for the class by studying learning materials. These include voice-over Power-Points, specially made iBooks, pre-recorded lectures and interviews with scientists and clinicians. Once in class, you use your iPad to take an individual quiz which is based on the assigned learning material to check your learning. Immediately after this, you discuss and answer the same quiz with your assigned team members. Your team receives immediate feedback on how well you understood the material. These individual and team quizzes form the Readiness Assurance Process (RAP). A TBL facilitator and one or more content experts are present to address any questions and concerns from the class. The discussion ensures that you have full understanding of the complex principles in the material. This process prepares you for the final stage in TBL, the Application Exercises (AEs). These AEs reinforce key concepts and give you insight into the authentic problems and situations that doctors may encounter. Teams discuss each AE and come to a decision on the best answers for each of the questions. You are expected to defend and debate the reasons for your team’s answers. In this final stage, expert faculty discuss and evaluate your answers and conclude by addressing the learning outcomes achieved for the TBL session.

TBL is quite distinct from Problem-Based Learning in being a very structured method where each activity is carefully planned, with a clear timetable for each sequential activity. The scope of learning is clearly defined by explicit learning outcomes which are provided to the students at the beginning of each session.