Inquiry for the win: Fostering curiosity through a BINGO exercise in a longitudinally integrated clerkship

As technological advancements challenge the current roles healthcare workers fill, curiosity and lifelong learning are becoming increasingly important. However, descriptions of specific curricular interventions that successfully develop these attitudes and skills remain limited.

We aimed to promote curiosity and advance practical application of evidenced-based medicine through a longitudinal, gamified learning activity within a longitudinal integrated clerkship (LIC). Thirty-seven students across two inquiry-themed LICs based at a university hospital and a community-based integrated healthcare delivery system used BINGO cards containing various assignments designed to develop the skill of asking and answering clinical questions. Assignments included: engaging experts, using evidence-based medical resources, attending education events, utilizing medical library resources, and Phone-a-Scientist. Students shared their experiences in a group setting and wrote a reflection for each assignment that was qualitatively analyzed to determine the perceived educational outcomes according to the Kirkpatrick Evaluation Model.

Results suggest that Inquiry BINGO fosters curiosity and builds skill in applied evidenced-based medicine early in clinical training. Most assignments prompted students to engage in opportunities they might not have otherwise explored. All but three students reported a change in behavior as a result of the assignment and 57% reported positive clinical or research results.

Future iterations of this activity should be evaluated by obtaining patient and/or preceptor feedback as well as longitudinal evaluations of student behavior to ensure higher level educational outcomes are being met.