Students' experiences of a GP escape room

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Game-Based Learning
• Health Professions Education

Background:

• Educational escape games are increasingly used but require effectiveness evaluation.
• Their role as a constructive pedagogical tool in medical education is under-explored.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore medical students' experiences with a general practice (GP) escape game.
• To determine if GP-based escape games merit inclusion in medical school curricula.

Main Methods:

• A mixed-methods case study was conducted at a Scottish Medical School.
• Data included video recordings (32) of the escape game and post-game questionnaires (n=131).
• Thematic analysis of video footage and questionnaire data was performed.

Main Results:

• Analysis of 718 minutes of gameplay revealed five key themes: teamwork, leadership, clinical thinking, numeracy, and gamification.
• Student questionnaires indicated a predominantly positive educational experience.
• Participants demonstrated strengths in teamwork and leadership but struggled with numeracy under pressure.

Conclusions:

• GP-themed escape games are valuable for developing essential non-technical skills in medical students.
• Addressing numeracy challenges is crucial for patient safety.
• These games support early exposure to general practice and skill development, justifying their place in medical curricula.