Teaching effectiveness of the trauma evaluation and management module for senior medical students

The Trauma Evaluation and Management (TEAM) module was devised by the American College of Surgeons for teaching senior medical students trauma management principles. This article reports on the teaching effectiveness of this module.

Cognitive skills (by 20 item multiple-choice question examination on trauma topics) and clinical trauma management skills performance, using the Objective Structured Clinical Examination, were compared between two groups of 16 randomly selected final year medical students who had completed the standard curriculum including trauma topics. One group had the TEAM (TEAM group) and the other did not (no-TEAM group). Objective Structured Clinical Examination score (percentage), Priority score (range, 1-7), Organized Approach score (range, 1-5), and Global Pass status were assigned at each station. The students also completed a five-part questionnaire.

Results of the questionnaire showed that on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being excellent, 96.8% assigned a score of 4 or greater, indicating the objectives were met, 83.8% that trauma knowledge was improved, 51.6% that clinical skills were improved, 90.3% that the module should be mandatory, and 83.9% overall satisfaction with the program.

The TEAM module is very effective in teaching trauma management principles to senior medical students, by whom the program was very well received. Consideration should be given to adopting this program more widely in our medical undergraduate curriculum.