RheumQuest: A Gamified Approach to Musculoskeletal Education

In response to challenges in musculoskeletal education, we developed RheumQuest, a flashcard-style board game designed to reinforce application of clinical presentations to diagnosis and initial management for medical students. This approach seeks to address gaps in traditional teaching methods, offering a dynamic and effective tool for medical students in musculoskeletal education.

RheumQuest was implemented as a required, formative 1-hour session during the internal medicine clerkship. In this hour-long activity, third-year medical students participated in a competitive small-group session, utilizing a game board and flashcard-style playing cards. Teams advanced by answering questions correctly, with the first team reaching the board's end declared the winner. Pre- and postsession surveys, along with a multiple-choice test, assessed the effectiveness of the intervention on student confidence and knowledge acquisition.

A total of 125 students participated in this educational innovation, with all 125 participants completing both surveys (response rate 100%). Medical knowledge scores (maximum 10 points per block) increased by an average of 0.36 points, from a mean score of 7.47 presession to 7.82 post session (p = .009). Confidence in pharmacology, diagnosis, and management all improved post session (each p < .001). Students expressed high satisfaction through a qualitative analysis, as indicated by positive ratings and an opportunity for written feedback.

This educational game successfully enhanced student knowledge and confidence in musculoskeletal diagnosis, pharmacology, and management during an engaging session. This intervention is cost-effective, scalable, easily replicable, and readily implementable in other institutions.