Teaching style is an important determinant in the success of problem-based learning (PBL) tutorials. A teaching style inventory was used to evaluate PBL tutors at the National Taiwan University College of Medicine. Students completed 399 and 398 teaching style evaluations in the 1995 and 1996 academic years respectively. Re-evaluation was done in the 1996 academic year. Most of the tutors were found to be assistive, consultative, activating, and uniform in teaching style. Tutors of third-year students were more consultative than tutors of the other students. Tutors of second-year students emphasized the humanistic, general, and attitude aspects of learning more than other tutors, which was congruent with the course objectives for second year students. Most tutors used futuristic, analytical, and instrumental approaches. Tutors of second-year students were less theoretical, analytical and instrumental than tutors of other students. Teaching style did not seem to change during the course of PBL tutorials; most of the changes between the midterm and the final evaluation were in the role and relationship dimensions. We conclude that the teaching style of most of the tutors was appropriate for PBL.