Escape Rooms for Health Professional Education: A scoping review

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Gamification in Learning
• Health Professions Training

Background:

• Escape rooms are a gamification tool increasingly used in education.
• Their application in health professions education requires systematic examination.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a scoping review of educational escape rooms in health professions education.
• To identify how these escape rooms are utilized, their educational goals, and assessment methods.

Main Methods:

• A systematic literature search was performed across six databases.
• PRISMA guidelines were followed for study selection and data extraction.

Main Results:

• Seventeen studies were included, showing escape rooms reinforce knowledge and skills.
• Primary competencies addressed include soft skills, clinical skills, and didactic knowledge.
• Participant experiences, motivation, and engagement were key research focuses.

Conclusions:

• Educational escape rooms are well-received by participants.
• They positively impact motivation and engagement in health professional trainees.
• Integrating escape rooms with traditional methods can enhance learning experiences.