Review article: E-learning in emergency medicine: A systematic review.

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Emergency Medicine
• Digital Learning

Background:

• E-learning (EL) has emerged as a significant resource in medical education.
• The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of EL due to reduced clinical exposure for trainees.
• Traditional learning (TL) methods were often replaced by EL during the pandemic.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review and compare the impact of e-learning versus traditional learning on emergency medicine learning outcomes for medical trainees.
• To assess the effectiveness of EL compared to TL in knowledge and practical skill acquisition.

Main Methods:

• A systematic review was conducted following PRISMA guidelines.
• Searches were performed across CINAHL, Embase, OVID Medline, and PubMed databases.
• Nineteen studies were included, with data extraction and bias assessment using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool.

Main Results:

• Fifteen studies assessed knowledge gain; 11 showed no significant difference, 2 favored EL, and 2 favored TL.
• Six studies assessed practical skill gain; 5 showed no significant difference, and 1 favored EL.
• Overall, evidence quality was low, precluding definitive conclusions.

Conclusions:

• E-learning appears comparable to traditional learning for emergency medicine education.
• Integration of EL as a supplement to face-to-face teaching in EM curricula is recommended.
• Further high-quality research is needed to confirm these findings.