Complementing theory with practice to enhance Students' learning.

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Clinical Skills Training
• Cognitive Psychology

Background:

• Effective clinical skills training for undergraduates requires optimal instructional design.
• Disagreement exists regarding the integration of cognitive skills alongside practical training in medical curricula.
• This study addresses the need for evidence-based guidance in developing Clinical Skills Modules (CSM).

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare student performance in a clinical skill after training via hands-on practice versus combined cognitive and hands-on instruction.
• To explore student perceptions of integrating cognitive skills into procedural skills training.
• To inform instructional plan design for Clinical Skills Modules.

Main Methods:

• Sequential mixed-methods design involving quantitative pre- and post-Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCE) and qualitative Focus Group Discussions (FGD).
• Fourth-year medical students were randomized into two groups: Group A (cognitive and hands-on skills) and Group B (hands-on only).
• Thematic analysis of FGD transcripts explored student perspectives on educational strategies.

Main Results:

• Student performance significantly improved from pre- to post-test in both groups (p<0.001).
• No statistically significant difference in performance was observed between the cognitive/hands-on group and the hands-on only group (p=0.108).
• Thematic analysis revealed five prevalent themes: advantages, disadvantages, time balance, training, and assessment of combined cognitive and practical skills.

Conclusions:

• Adding cognitive skills instruction to practical sessions did not significantly enhance students' procedural skill acquisition.
• Students expressed a preference for combining cognitive and practical learning approaches for procedural skills.
• Findings suggest a need for further research into optimizing the integration of cognitive and practical components in medical education.