Efficacy of a Web-Based Oral Case Presentation Instruction Module: Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Pediatrics
• Clinical Skills Training

Background:

• Effective self-directed educational tools are crucial for medical student development.
• Assessing the impact of web-based modules versus traditional feedback is essential for optimizing training.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of a self-directed, web-based oral case presentation module.
• To compare this module's effectiveness against traditional faculty feedback and usual curriculum.

Main Methods:

• A pragmatic multicenter cluster randomized controlled trial was conducted with medical students in pediatric clerkships.
• Students were assigned to a web-based module (CLIPP), faculty feedback, or a control group.
• Oral case presentation quality was assessed by blinded evaluators on a 10-point scale.

Main Results:

• The faculty feedback group showed significantly higher oral presentation quality compared to controls.
• The web-based module group trended toward improvement but was not statistically superior to controls.
• No significant difference in presentation quality was found between the web-based module and faculty feedback groups.

Conclusions:

• The web-based oral case presentation module did not demonstrate statistically superior outcomes compared to the control group.
• Its efficacy was comparable to faculty-led feedback sessions, suggesting potential as an alternative training method.