An interactive computer program for teaching residents pap smear classification, screening and management guidelines:...

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Gynecologic Oncology
• Digital Health

Background:

• Current guidelines for cervical cancer screening, classification, and management of abnormal Pap smears are essential for Obstetrics and Gynecology (OB/GYN) residents.
• Effective and accessible educational tools are needed to ensure residents master these critical clinical skills.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the feasibility, utility, and resident acceptance of an interactive, web-based computer learning program.
• To assess the program's effectiveness in teaching current recommendations for cervical cancer screening and abnormal Pap smear management.

Main Methods:

• A pretest/posttest design was used to evaluate an interactive curriculum for 35 OB/GYN residents.
• The web-based program included didactic and case-based sections with virtual patient management, utilizing cytologic, histologic, and colposcopic images.
• Mastery was defined as 82% correct answers on the posttest.

Main Results:

• 89% of residents completed the curriculum, with significant improvement in posttest scores compared to pretest scores (p = 0.04).
• No resident achieved mastery on the pretest, while 15 residents demonstrated mastery on the posttest.
• Residents found the program useful, covering all learning objectives, and recommended it for others.

Conclusions:

• The web-based learning program is a feasible and well-accepted method for educating residents on cervical cancer screening and management.
• The program effectively enhanced resident knowledge and performance in managing abnormal Pap smears.
• Interactive, digital learning platforms can successfully supplement traditional medical education in OB/GYN.