Effectiveness of Electronic Flashcards for Undergraduate Medical Students in Musculoskeletal Sciences

Background Electronic flashcards, such as Anki (https://apps.ankiweb.net/), are an educational resource that has been positively received by medical students worldwide. This is evidenced by surveys and improved examination results. However, little research has been conducted on the use of flashcards by undergraduate medical students at universities in the United Kingdom (UK), particularly within musculoskeletal sciences (MSK). Research Question The research question was: Are electronic flashcards (such as Anki) an effective educational tool for undergraduate medical students studying MSK? Methods Population The study population included all medical students enrolled in the undergraduate course at Anglia Ruskin University (ARU), UK, during their MSK module rotation in 2023/2024. Intervention Each student was assigned a learning objective from the MSK curriculum and required to create Anki flashcards based on their assigned topic. These cards were then collated, quality-controlled, and redistributed to the entire cohort. This process not only created a comprehensive educational tool for the MSK syllabus but also introduced Anki to all students. Outcome The outcome was a survey employing a quantitative methodology using Likert scales (1 = least, 5 = most). Results The sample size was 61 students. The survey revealed that the effectiveness of electronic flashcards for studying MSK received a mean score of 4.03 (SD ± 1.05), with 50.1% of students rating it 5/5 on the Likert scale. Comparatively, the effectiveness of Anki in non-MSK modules showed a significantly lower mean score of 3.71 (SD ± 1.44), (p < 0.05). The assignment also resulted in a significant increase in Anki usage, with the mean score rising from 3.34 (SD ± 1.48) before the intervention to 3.89 (SD ± 1.20) after (p < 0.05). Students who were new to Anki (n = 25) rated the effectiveness of the assignment in introducing them to the platform at a mean score of 3.98. Conclusion This survey demonstrated that electronic flashcards are perceived as an effective educational tool by undergraduate medical students in the UK. Flashcards were found to be more effective for studying within the MSK module compared to other modules. Furthermore, the assignment significantly increased participation in Anki by introducing students to a novel methodology for studying.