Viability of a Web-Based Module for Teaching Electrocardiogram Reading Skills to Psychiatry Residents: Learning...

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Psychiatry Training
• Digital Health

Background:

• Web-based instruction offers comparable effectiveness to traditional methods in postgraduate education.
• Few medical topics are currently taught via web-based platforms in psychiatry residency.
• Electrocardiogram (EKG) interpretation is crucial for managing psychotropic medication side effects.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the feasibility of a web-based curriculum for teaching EKG reading skills to psychiatry residents.
• To evaluate resident interest in receiving educational materials through a web-based format.
• To explore the potential of online learning for psychiatric education.

Main Methods:

• A 41-slide web-based curriculum on EKG interpretation was developed.
• The module included pre-test and post-test assessments focusing on cardiac complications of psychotropic drugs.
• The curriculum was distributed to psychiatry residents via email.

Main Results:

• Out of 57 residents, 30 initiated and 22 completed the web-based module.
• Participants demonstrated a mean improvement of 25% in EKG knowledge from pre-test to post-test.
• All 22 completers expressed interest in future web-based educational offerings.

Conclusions:

• Web-based instruction is a feasible and underutilized method for psychiatric resident education.
• This pilot study highlights the potential of online learning for improving EKG interpretation skills.
• Future applications may include longitudinal tracking of learning outcomes and patient care.