Beyond the Traditional Flipped Classroom: Implementing “Just-in-Time Flipping” for Teaching Complex Pharmacology Topics to Undergraduate Medical Students

Introduction: Pharmacology is often perceived as a difficult subject due to its heavy factual content and abstract mechanisms. While traditional flipped classrooms promote active learning, they can increase student workload and suffer from inconsistent pre-class preparation. Just-in-Time Flipping (JiTF) is an innovative modification where preparatory time is provided at the start of the class under faculty supervision. This study aimed to assess the perceptions of Phase II MBBS students regarding the JiTF strategy in teaching the pharmacology of chelating agents and to evaluate their post-class performance. Methodology: This single-session, cross-sectional educational intervention involved Phase II MBBS students. Using the JiTF approach, students were given 20 minutes at the beginning of the session to review structured materials (PowerPoint slides, infographics, and reference notes) via Google Classroom under faculty supervision. This was followed by 15 minutes of case-based group discussions, class-wide presentations, and 15 minutes of faculty-facilitated interaction to clarify misconceptions. Outcomes were measured using a structured feedback questionnaire to assess student perceptions and a 10-item multiple-choice post-class quiz to evaluate short-term knowledge consolidation. Results: The session was attended by 115 students, of whom 105 (91.3%) provided feedback. 90.5% of participants rated the JiTF format as better than traditional lectures, with none rating it as worse. A significant majority (96.2%) agreed that case-based discussions helped them apply pharmacological knowledge to clinical contexts, and 91.4% reported feeling actively engaged during the session. In the post-class assessment, the mean score was 6.45 out of 10, with 58.2% of students achieving "Good" or "Excellent" grades. Qualitative feedback highlighted themes of interactive learning improved conceptual clarity, and a strong recommendation (95%) to use this method for other pharmacology topics. Conclusion: The JiTF approach was well-received and perceived as more effective than traditional lectures for teaching complex pharmacology topics. By integrating supervised self-study and active discussion into a single session, JiTF enhances student engagement and knowledge application overcoming the limitations of conventional flipped classrooms.