Utilizing a Hybrid Faculty-Guided, Self-Directed Study Model to Teach Immunology to First-Year Medical Students

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Immunology Education
• Hybrid Learning Models

Background:

• Traditional immunology education faces challenges in engagement and knowledge retention.
• Developing effective teaching strategies for complex medical subjects is crucial for first-year students.
• The shift towards flexible learning necessitates evaluating innovative pedagogical approaches.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of a hybrid, faculty-guided, self-directed learning model for immunology.
• To compare student performance in a hybrid model against traditional methods.
• To gather student feedback on the hybrid learning experience.

Main Methods:

• Comparative analysis of summative exam performance across five medical student cohorts (2017-2021).
• Implementation of a pilot hybrid course in 2021 featuring asynchronous videos, quizzes, and in-person sessions.
• Collection and analysis of student feedback on the learning model's flexibility and pacing.

Main Results:

• Consistent summative exam performance was observed across most cohorts.
• The fully virtual cohort in 2020 demonstrated lower performance compared to the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) average.
• Student feedback indicated a strong preference for the hybrid model's flexibility and self-paced nature.

Conclusions:

• Hybrid learning models are effective for teaching complex subjects like immunology.
• The hybrid approach supports self-directed learning and offers flexibility beneficial to medical students.
• Reduced in-person contact within a hybrid framework can maintain educational quality and student satisfaction.