TITLE:
Reform Exploration of a Framework Integrating PBL with Virtual Simulation for Optimizing the Orthopedic Teaching Model at the Undergraduate Stage
AUTHORS:
Shanlang Li, Kangqi Xie, Dianbo Yu, Haidong Zhou, Changtai Luo, Huade Ma, Mingzhe Yao, Jihua Wei
KEYWORDS:
PBL, Virtual Simulation, Orthopedic Teaching, Teaching Model, Teaching Reform
JOURNAL NAME:
Creative Education,
Vol.17 No.10,
October
19,
2026
ABSTRACT: Orthopedic teaching at the undergraduate stage spans anatomy, imaging, biomechanics, and surgical procedures, requiring students not only to comprehend complex anatomical structures but also to master clinical practical skills. However, constrained by insufficient practical training conditions, clinical ethical constraints, and rigid traditional teaching modes, orthopedic teaching for undergraduates has long been plagued by challenges including abstract and hard-to-grasp knowledge content, limited hands-on practice opportunities, the disconnection between theory and clinical practice, and low learning initiative among students. Problem-based learning (PBL) takes real clinical cases as the entry point and guides students to carry out active inquiry in group settings. Supported by three-dimensional digital technology, virtual simulation converts complex anatomical structures, fracture injuries, and surgical workflows into repeatable, immersive digital practice scenarios. Teaching reform practices in physiology, internal medicine, dermatology, emergency medicine, and other disciplines have shown that the integration of the two approaches can effectively stimulate students’ enthusiasm for learning and improve their knowledge mastery and comprehensive practical competence. Drawing on existing teaching reform experience and the practical realities of undergraduate orthopedic teaching at local medical colleges, this paper puts forward a conceptual integrated teaching framework of “tiered clinical case library, stratified virtual simulation training, multi-dimensional feedback-based assessment”, and maps out a complete teaching cycle spanning pre-class, in-class, and post-class phases. Built on Kirkpatrick’s four-level evaluation model, the framework incorporates an assessment system combining teacher assessment, peer assessment, and self-assessment. The educational effects of this framework remain theoretical, and further empirical research is needed to confirm its practical value. This work aims to provide insights for the reform of clinical orthopedic courses at the undergraduate stage.