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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 13, 2026

Using Practice Testing, Public Speaking, and Source Monitoring to Examine the Influences of Learning Strategies and Stress on Episodic Memory

Using Practice Testing, Public Speaking, and Source Monitoring to Examine the Influences of Learning Strategies and Stress on Episodic Memory

Published on: June 14, 2019

Comparing different retrieval practice strategies using virtual patients: A stratified randomized trial.

Renan Gianotto-Oliveira^1,2, Naomi Steenhof³, Dario Cecilio-Fernandes^1,4

¹School of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas, Campinas, Brazil.

Medical Teacher

|January 8, 2026

Summary

Short answer questions (SAQs) significantly improved medical students' long-term knowledge retention in virtual patient (VP) simulations. Retrieval practice using VP cases and multiple-choice questions (MCQs) maintained knowledge, suggesting SAQs enhance learning most effectively.

Keywords:

Retrieval practice multiple-choice questions retention short answer questions virtual simulation

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Area of Science:

Medical Education
Cognitive Science
Simulation-Based Learning

Background:

Effective retrieval practice strategies are crucial for long-term knowledge retention in medical education.
Virtual patient (VP) simulation platforms offer a dynamic environment for medical training and assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

To compare the effectiveness of three retrieval practice strategies—re-solving VP cases, answering multiple-choice questions (MCQs), and answering short answer questions (SAQs)—on long-term memory retention in medical students.
To evaluate the impact of these strategies within a VP simulation platform.

Main Methods:

Eighty fifth-year medical students participated in a stratified randomized trial.
Students engaged with VP cases, followed by one of three retrieval practice conditions (re-solving cases, MCQs, or SAQs) one week later.
Long-term retention and learning transfer were assessed six weeks post-intervention using a comprehensive test.

Main Results:

Participants using short answer questions (SAQs) showed statistically significant performance improvement over time.
Re-solving virtual patient cases and answering multiple-choice questions (MCQs) resulted in maintained knowledge levels.
No significant differences were found between performance on repeated versus novel questions, or between MCQs and SAQs.

Conclusions:

Retrieval practice, particularly through SAQs, effectively supports knowledge retention in VP simulations.
The comparable performance on novel questions suggests that retrieval practice may enhance the transfer of learning to new clinical scenarios.