Interactive Internet-based cases for undergraduate otolaryngology education

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Otolaryngology
• Digital Learning Tools

Background:

• Pre-clerkship medical education requires effective otolaryngology training.
• Traditional learning methods may not fully engage students in specialized fields.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the feasibility and effectiveness of virtual-patient computer-assisted instruction (CAI).
• To evaluate CAI as a supplement to undergraduate otolaryngology curriculum.

Main Methods:

• A prospective, randomized, controlled trial was conducted with second-year medical students.
• Students were assigned to either a CAI module or Internet review articles on pediatric stridor.
• Pre- and post-tests, along with a questionnaire, were used to measure learning and preferences.

Main Results:

• Both CAI and online articles improved post-test scores, but CAI yielded significantly higher scores (84.6% vs. 74.3%).
• Students spent less time on CAI (9.06 minutes) compared to reading articles (25.5 minutes).
• A majority of students (88%) preferred the CAI module.

Conclusions:

• Computer-assisted instruction (CAI) is a feasible and effective tool for otolaryngology education.
• CAI enhances self-directed learning and is an efficient supplement to the undergraduate curriculum.
• Virtual-patient CAI is a preferred learning modality among medical students.