Adding Live-Streaming to Recorded Lectures in a Non-Distributed Pre-Clerkship Medical Education Model

Live-streaming video has had increasing uses in medical education, especially in distributed education models. The literature on the impact of live-streaming in non-distributed education models, however, is scarce.

To determine the attitudes towards live-streaming and recorded lectures as a resource to pre-clerkship medical students in a non-distributed medical education model.

First and second year medical students were sent a voluntary cross-sectional survey by email, and were asked questions on live-streaming, recorded lectures and in person lectures using a 5-point Likert and open answers.

Of the 118 responses (54% response rate), the data suggested that both watching recorded lectures (Likert 4.55) and live-streaming lectures (4.09) were perceived to be more educationally valuable than face-to-face attendance of lectures (3.60). While responses indicated a statistically significant increase in anticipated classroom attendance if both live-streaming and recorded lectures were removed (from 63% attendance to 76%, p =0.002), there was no significant difference in attendance if live-streaming lectures were removed but recorded lectures were maintained (from 63% to 66%, p=0.76).

The addition of live-streaming lectures in the pre-clerkship setting was perceived to be value added to the students. The data also suggests that the removal of live-streaming lectures would not lead to a statistically significant increase in classroom attendance by pre-clerkship students.