To investigate the application effect of project-based learning in improving the mastery of basic experimental techniques, literature comprehension, and scientific thinking among nephrology postgraduate students.

Research-type postgraduate students majoring in nephrology enrolled in 2022 and 2023 at the Senior Department of Nephrology, Chinese PLA General Hospital, were selected as the study subjects. They were randomly divided into an experimental group (project-based learning) and a control group (traditional mentoring learning). The scores for experimental techniques, literature reading, and the scientific research thinking ability scale were compared between the two groups to evaluate the teaching effectiveness.

A total of 40 postgraduate students were included, with 20 in the experimental group and 20 in the control group. After the teaching practice, the experimental group demonstrated significantly higher excellence rates in basic experimental technique assessments (90% vs. 50%), literature review scores [(92.1±3.2) vs. (80.5±4.8)], and scientific research competence scale scores [(89.5±4.1) vs. (75.8±5.6)] compared to the control group (all P<0.05).

Project-based learning can effectively improve nephrology postgraduate students′ mastery of basic experimental techniques, deepen their understanding of professional literature, and significantly promote their establishment of scientific thinking.