Interactive spaced-education to teach the physical examination: a randomized controlled trial

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Clinical Skills Training
• Digital Learning Technologies

Background:

• Medical trainees often exhibit deficiencies in physical examination knowledge and skills.
• There is a need for innovative educational strategies to address these limitations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy and acceptability of interactive spaced-education (ISE) for teaching physical examination.
• To assess the impact of ISE on medical students' knowledge acquisition.

Main Methods:

• A randomized controlled trial involving 170 second-year medical students at Harvard Medical School.
• Students were randomized to an 18-week program using validated spaced-education modules delivered via email.
• The program involved three 6-week cycles of questions and immediate online feedback.

Main Results:

• One hundred twenty students completed the trial, with high completion rates for the ISE cycles.
• Students in the ISE program showed significantly higher scores compared to controls (Cohen's effect size of 1.43).
• Eighty-five percent of participants recommended the ISE program for future use.

Conclusions:

• Interactive spaced-education (ISE) is an effective method for enhancing physical examination knowledge among medical students.
• The ISE methodology is well-accepted and recommended by students, indicating its potential for widespread adoption.