Choose Your Own Adventure! A Novel Approach in Ethics Teaching

Medical ethics instruction is required across health professions education, but it is unclear how to structure this teaching to optimise engagement. Asynchronous teaching has become common for ethics, yet strategies to foster deep reflection and interaction remain underdeveloped. Our purpose was to describe the deployment of a novel asynchronous teaching delivery method for medical ethics.

We developed a novel asynchronous module for preclerkship medical students using branching-logic, scenario-based cases designed to promote interactivity, autonomy and reflection. Built in Google Slides and integrated into the school's learning management system, the module incorporated videos and readings, progressive cases with tailored feedback and reflective prompts. Outcomes were compared with those from a traditional recorded-lecture module.

One hundred seventy-seven students completed the novel module in 2024. Compared to the traditional module, learners reported significantly higher engagement, perceived learning and autonomy (p < 0.01). Knowledge scores were also higher compared to the prior year's cohort, who completed a traditional module composed of identical educational content (p = 0.02). Feedback from participants emphasised interactivity, relevance and opportunities for peer discussion, while some noted interest in additional synchronous discussions.

Branching-logic, scenario-based modules may enhance learner engagement, autonomy and knowledge acquisition in medical ethics education, even without altering core content. This approach is feasible with widely available tools, scalable across institutions and adaptable to resource-limited contexts. Learner feedback supports the potential value of blended approaches combining independent exploration of such modules with real-time discussion. This design holds promise for ethics and other areas requiring critical thinking and decision-making.