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- Title
Interactive spaced-education to teach the physical examination: a randomized controlled trial.
- Authors
Price Kerfoot, B.; Armstrong, Elizabeth G.; O’Sullivan, Patricia N.; Kerfoot, B Price; O'Sullivan, Patricia N
- Abstract
<bold>Background: </bold>Several studies have documented that physical examination knowledge and skills are limited among medical trainees.<bold>Objectives: </bold>The objective of the study is to investigate the efficacy and acceptability of a novel online educational methodology termed 'interactive spaced-education' (ISE) as a method to teach the physical examination.<bold>Design: </bold>The design of the study is randomized controlled trial.<bold>Participants: </bold>All 170 second-year students in the physical examination course at Harvard Medical School were eligible to enroll.<bold>Measurements: </bold>Spaced-education items (questions and explanations) were developed on core physical examination topics and were content-validated by two experts. Based on pilot-test data, 36 items were selected for inclusion. Students were randomized to start the 18-week program in November 2006 or 12 weeks later. Students were sent 6 spaced-education e-mails each week for 6 weeks (cycle 1) which were then repeated in two subsequent 6-week cycles (cycles 2 and 3). Students submitted answers to the questions online and received immediate feedback. An online end-of-program survey was administered.<bold>Results: </bold>One-hundred twenty students enrolled in the trial. Cycles 1, 2, and 3 were completed by 88%, 76%, and 71% of students, respectively. Under an intent-to-treat analysis, cycle 3 scores for cohort A students [mean 74.0 (SD 13.5)] were significantly higher than cycle 1 scores for cohort B students [controls; mean 59.0 (SD 10.5); P < .001], corresponding to a Cohen's effect size of 1.43. Eighty-five percent of participants (102 of 120) recommended the ISE program for students the following year.<bold>Conclusions: </bold>ISE can generate significant improvements in knowledge of the physical examination and is very well-accepted by students.
- Subjects
CLINICAL trials; PERIODIC health examinations; COMPUTER assisted instruction; TEACHING aids; HARVARD Medical School; PHYSICAL diagnosis; RESEARCH; RESEARCH methodology; MEDICAL cooperation; EVALUATION research; EDUCATIONAL tests &; measurements; COMPARATIVE studies; RANDOMIZED controlled trials; MEDICAL education
- Publication
JGIM: Journal of General Internal Medicine, 2008, Vol 23, Issue 7, p973
- ISSN
0884-8734
- Publication type
journal article
- DOI
10.1007/s11606-008-0533-0