Effectiveness of an Active Methodology for Learning ECG during the Internal Medicine Internship

Studies have shown a low accuracy of urgent care physicians in interpreting electrocardiogram (ECG) in severe cardiovascular conditions.

To evaluate the effectiveness of an ECG learning method in internal medicine internships and to know the perception of interns regarding learning before and after the methodology.

This study used a database with the results of an ECG pre- and post-test of the classes in the internal medicine internship from 2017 to 2022. A qualitative questionnaire was sent with questions for self-assessment of perception of learning.

The study included a total of 227 students, 161 of whom (70.9%) were female. The mean age was 26.4 ± 4.2 years old. The pre-test mean was 3.75 ± 2.0 points, and the post-test mean was 8.48 ± 1.5 points, showing a statistically significant difference, even after stratification by sex, age, and course period (p < 0.001 for all comparisons). Sixty-nine (30%) of the students responded to the qualitative questionnaire. The three predominant feelings prior to learning were despair, fear, and insecurity. After the Club, the predominant feelings were security, tranquility, and confidence.

The level of prior knowledge regarding ECG was low among students in the medical internship, and the proposed methodology was effective for learning ECG, regardless of age, sex, or course period. It was possible to transform negative beliefs regarding ECG learning and make learning meaningful and enjoyable. A more incisive look at medical courses for learning the ECG in a more practical and contextualized way can improve this scenario.