Team Based Learning

A short guide to TBL

Dear Students,

On 9 November 2026 and 13 November 2026, we will hold a Team-Based Learning (TBL) session on Respiratory Physiology.

In order to find your team number, click on the name of the auditory in the table below.

Schedule of TBL 

Important information

-  TBL is obligatory, includes control of the presence.

-  Find your TBL team number on the list of participants.

-  Change of the team/time is possible only in special cases, and prior to the TBL. Please contact your group teacher and send your request to gabriela.repiska@fmed.uniba.sk

-  Please come to the auditory at least 5 minutes in advance. Join your team. The team numbers will be located on a visible place on the desks. The latecomers will not be allowed to join the TBL, and will have to do a substitution in December.

Assignment - topics for self-study

Students who come prepared have the greatest benefit from the TBL format. Please find the topics that will be discussed in the sections below, study the topic in advance, and come prepared.

Respiratory physiology, with the focus on

Mechanism of inspiration and expiration in rest and in increased ventilation.

Function of the respiratory muscles

Relaxation position of the chest, non-relaxation positions

Intrapleural and intrapulmonary pressure – its oscillations during the brathing cycle, their values.

Structure of the tracheobronchial tree, smooth muscle in the wall of the tracheobronchial tree and its regulation

Dead space - definition, classification, function.

Air flow in the respiratory passageways

Lung volumes and capacities – their values and physiological variations.

Spirometry – markers FEV, FEV1, FEV3, PEF, FVC, FEV/FVC (%)

Lung ventilation, alveolar ventilation and their changes in related to changes of the tidal volume and frequency of breathing,

Function of the ciliary epithelium in the respiratory passageways

Concentration of  O2 and CO2 in the atmosphere/alveolar/expired air,  partial pressured of gases

Transport of O2 in blood – individual forms and values, oxygen carrying capacity of blood.

Transport of CO2 in blood – its forms, their %, hypercapnia, hypocapnia

Clinical problem to be discussed

Understanding of the theoretical principles of the respiratory physiology will be trained on a case of patient with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) 

Recommended study resources

Respiratory physiology.

In: Ostatníková et al.: Basics of Physiology

and in other physiology textbooks (Berne and Levy, Costanzo, etc.)

Lectures on the respiratory physiology (MS Teams, face-to-face)

Basic information about COPD is available on the website

Diagnosis

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/320168#takeaway

Treatment

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/chronic-obstructive-pulmonary-disease-copd/treatment/