Abstract: Objective To explore the effectiveness of the “apprenticeship case-based teaching” method in the instruction of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formulas for nursing students. Methods A quasi-experimental study was conducted with 135 undergraduate nursing students from the 2023 cohort at Peking Union Medical College. Participants were randomly assigned to an experimental group (receiving apprenticeship case-based teaching) or a control group (receiving conventional teaching). Teaching effectiveness was evaluated through classroom instruction followed by a routine test. The test covered the indications and key diagnostic points of eight representative TCM formulas. Results The experimental group overruns the control group on most test items. Statistically significant differences (P＜0.05) were observed in questions related to Ma Huang Tang, Xiao Chai Hu Tang, Da Cheng Qi Tang, Liu Wei Di Huang Wan, and Ba Zheng San. Conclusions The apprenticeship case-based teaching method significantly enhances students'learning gain about key diagnostic principles in TCM formulas and improves capacity building of clinical reasoning. This method should be shared by schools of nursing in the teaching reformation of TCM curriculum.

Key words: apprenticeship, case-based teaching, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) teaching, science of TCM of formulas, nursing