Active learning promotes student engagement, increases learning gains, enhances long-term retention, and enables the development of higher-order thinking skills. To investigate the efficacy of active learning, a flipped classroom approach was implemented for a unit on laboratory techniques. Students developed skits based on clinical scenarios for which these techniques are used for diagnosis and treatment. Student learning gains were assessed via multiple choice questions (MCQs). Performance on individual MCQs for this module ranged from 76% to 100% versus an average of 72% for all other MCQs. Students' attitudes were assessed using an optional, anonymous survey. Survey data, along with students' free-response reflections, supported students' positive attitudes towards the unit. These data further support active learning as an effective and empirically validated teaching practice.
