Name
Transforming Team-Based Learning into a Growth-Oriented Formative Assessment: Using Rapid-Fire Active Recall to Consolidate Learning in a Team-Based Learning Format
Authors
Hillary Michelson, SUNY Downstate Medical School Gabriela Martin Gonzalez, SUNY Downstate Medical School Zaeem Khan, SUNY Downstate Medical School
Date & Time
Thursday, October 22, 2026, 11:45 AM - 11:59 AM
Presentation Category
Designing Holistic Programs: Growth-Oriented Assessment, Feedback, and Learner Development
Presentation Tag(s)
Student Presenter
Description
Team-Based Learning (TBL) is a well-established active learning strategy in undergraduate medical education that promotes collaborative problem solving and application of knowledge. However, traditional TBL sessions typically conclude after the team application exercises, providing limited opportunity to evaluate the extent of individual learning or help students identify remaining knowledge gaps before high-stakes assessments. To address this gap, we developed a synthesis-focused cardiovascular TBL that incorporates an individual rapid-fire review immediately following the team-based learning activity. Rather than serving as an additional graded assessment, the rapid-fire review functions as a formative learning tool, allowing students to consolidate concepts through facilitator-moderated explanations while assessing their understanding of integrated physiology, pathology, pharmacology, and clinical reasoning across the cardiovascular curriculum. This immediate self-assessment provides actionable feedback that students can use to guide independent study before the summative examination. The innovation will be evaluated using both subjective and objective outcomes. Student perceptions of preparedness, confidence, knowledge integration, and identification of knowledge gaps will be assessed through a post-session survey. Objective measures will include comparisons of Individual Readiness Assurance Test (IRAT) scores, rapid-fire review scores, and cardiovascular summative examination performance. Summative examination outcomes will also be compared with those of the previous year's cohort. By incorporating an immediate formative assessment into the traditional TBL model, this innovation reinforces learning, promotes self-reflection, and provides individualized feedback to guide subsequent study before high-stakes assessment. This approach supports learner growth by pairing active learning with structured self-assessment and timely feedback.