Short Social Media Videos as a Supplementary Educational Resource in Neuroanatomy: A Nonrandomized Clinical Trial

The integration of microlearning tools, such as short social media videos, into medical education may offer novel strategies to enhance student engagement and knowledge acquisition. However, evidence regarding their effectiveness remains limited.

To evaluate short-term academic performance and student engagement associated with short social media videos as a supplementary educational resource in a neuroanatomy course.

This nonrandomized clinical trial was conducted at the Faculty of Medicine, Damascus University, during the 2024 to 2025 academic year. Third-year medical students who responded to an open invitation were enrolled and divided into an intervention group and a control group based on voluntary participation and access to the social media platform.

The intervention group engaged with 50 educational Instagram reels (each 90 seconds) over 2 months through a study-specific Instagram account. The control group continued traditional study methods without exposure to the videos.

Primary outcomes included changes in neuroanatomy knowledge scores, measured by standardized preintervention and postintervention assessments. Secondary outcomes included student perceptions of the educational value and usability of the videos.

A total of 167 third-year medical students (84 men [50.3%]) were enrolled and divided into an intervention group (n = 84) and a control group (n = 83). Mean (SD) baseline assessment scores were 5.5 (2.8) of 20 in the intervention group and 5.5 (2.3) of 20 in the control group. Postintervention scores were significantly higher in the intervention group compared with the control group (mean [SD] score, 9.9 [2.1] of 20 vs 7.5 [2.4] of 20; P < .001). No significant differences were observed between the intervention group and the control group in final neuroanatomy examination scores (mean [SD] score, 17.2 [1.3] of 20 vs 16.5 [1.5] of 20; P = .09). Among intervention participants, 84.5% (71 of 84) reported that the videos were a beneficial supplement to traditional learning, although 27.4% (23 of 84) noted that the content delivery could feel monotonous.

In this nonrandomized clinical trial, the use of short social media videos was associated with improved short-term academic performance and positive student engagement but not with long-term benefit. The sustained impact of short social media videos demands ongoing evaluation, evidence-based modifications, and a focus on balancing creativity with educational outcomes.