Evaluating neurology CME in two educational methods using Patton's utilization focused model.

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Neurology Continuing Medical Education (CME)
• Educational Methodologies

Background:

• Continuing medical education (CME) planning and preparation are time-intensive.
• Evaluative processes are crucial for recognizing CME efforts.
• This study compared lecture versus task-based learning (TBL) in neurology CME.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate neurology CME effectiveness using two distinct educational methods: lecture and task-based learning (TBL).
• To assess participant satisfaction and identify the superior educational approach.
• To apply Patton's utilization-focused model for informed decision-making.

Main Methods:

• An observational, cross-sectional study involving 60 General Practitioners, equally divided into TBL and lecture groups.
• A questionnaire assessed educational elements including learning objectives, content, presentation clarity, interaction, knowledge gain, and overall satisfaction.
• Data analysis utilized the Mann-Whitney U test to compare participant satisfaction between the two learning methods.

Main Results:

• Task-based learning (TBL) demonstrated higher mean ranks across most assessed educational elements compared to the lecture format.
• 75% of TBL participants rated all program elements as 'very good,' versus 75% of lecture participants rating only half the elements as 'very good.'
• While most differences were statistically significant (p > 0.05), time management (p = 0.22) and some other elements showed borderline significance.

Conclusions:

• Task-based learning (TBL) significantly improved participant satisfaction in neurology CME.
• The TBL method resulted in higher ratings for nearly all educational elements compared to the lecture method.
• TBL is a more impactful educational method for enhancing participant satisfaction in medical education events.