WISE-MD usage among millennial medical students

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• E-learning
• Surgical Training

Background:

• E-learning is a growing component of undergraduate medical education.
• Internet-based multimedia resources require design considerations for millennial learner preferences.
• Optimizing e-learning impact necessitates understanding student usage patterns.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the utilization patterns of the Web Initiative for Surgical Education of Medical Doctors (WISE-MD) modules.
• To identify peak usage times and days for medical student engagement with e-learning surgical modules.
• To investigate factors influencing access to module-based questions.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of data from 3,587 medical students who completed 35,848 WISE-MD modules between July 1, 2013, and October 1, 2013.
• Data collected on module topic frequency, access time, day of the week, and engagement with module questions.
• Statistical analysis of usage patterns and question completion rates.

Main Results:

• Students accessed modules for an average of 51 minutes, with peak usage on Sundays (23.1%), Saturdays (15.4%), and Mondays (14.3%).
• Module access was concentrated between 7 PM and 10 PM (34.4%), with minimal use on Fridays (8.2%).
• Approximately 80.4% of students accessed module questions, completing an average of 40 questions, with low repetition rates (2.3%).

Conclusions:

• The WISE-MD e-learning platform experiences highest engagement during weekend evenings.
• Frequently accessed modules align with essential surgical problem areas.
• Student interaction with module questions is influenced by various factors, suggesting a complex learning behavior.