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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2023 Jan 12;23(1):21.
doi: 10.1186/s12909-022-03974-8.

Can educational video resources improve learning when used to augment traditional teaching of clinical examination? A randomized control trial of novice medical students

Ellie Flatt  1   2 , Paul Brewer  3   4 , Malek Racy  3 , Faisal Mushtaq  5 , Rachael Ashworth  4   6 , Fazal Ali  4   7 , James Tomlinson  3   4
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Can educational video resources improve learning when used to augment traditional teaching of clinical examination? A randomized control trial of novice medical students

Ellie Flatt et al. BMC Med Educ. .

Abstract

Background: Good clinical examination skills can both increase the quality of patient care and reduce its cost. A previous study by our group demonstrated that face-to-face training is the gold standard for teaching these skills. It is unclear if high quality educational videos can augment this teaching.

Methods: Forty-two Medical Students naïve to large joint examination were recruited and block randomised to two groups. The control group had face-to-face teaching alone. The intervention group had their teaching augmented with a custom educational video accessed via a web portal. Participants were assessed on their examination of a large joint using a previously standardised assessment tool at baseline and 7 days post intervention. Assessors were blinded to intervention type.

Results: There was no significant difference in the mean baseline scores. Mean baseline scores were 3.35 (11.2%, SD = 2.2, SE = 0.49) for the face-to-face only group and 2.65 (8.8%, SD = 1.39, SE = 0.31) for the video adjunct group [p = 0.137]. There was a significant difference in the improvement in score after intervention between each group [p = 0.005]. The mean improvement in score was 15.42 (SD = 5.64, SE = 1.29) for the face-to-face only group and 20.68 (SD = 4.33,SE = 0.99) for the video adjunct group.

Conclusion: When used as an adjunct to more traditional face-to-face teaching methods, a custom-made educational video significantly improves the teaching of clinical examination skills and there is a role for these resources in augmenting traditional teaching methods.

Keywords: Distance learning; Educational technology; Medical education; Physical examination.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare there are no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Consort flow diagram showing trial recruitment and retention
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Pre- and post-intervention assessment scores for each of the training groups. Error bars represent 95% confidence intervals
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Play rate of the video resource by date for the video adjunct cohort
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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