Outcomes of a Multimedia Educational Workshop in an Internal Medicine Residency

Effective communication is crucial for medical residents, especially during foundational didactic sessions where residents present complex medical information. Despite the widespread use of multimedia tools such as PowerPoint, formal training in their optimal use is often lacking in residency curricula.

This study assessed the impact of a multimedia educational intervention on resident presentation development and perceptions of multimedia use in foundational didactic sessions.

Interventional, single-group pre- and post-study using a convenience sample of residents at a university-affiliated Internal Medicine residency. Twenty-seven of 79 residents attended a 90-minute multimedia education workshop and completed pre- and post-surveys assessing knowledge and perceptions. Eighteen residents delivered foundational didactics scored by expert faculty. Word counts per slide were analyzed.

81% of residents reported no prior formal multimedia training. Significant improvements were observed in resident confidence (3.5 to 4.2, p=0.001) and perceived importance (3.9 to 4.5, p=0.005) of multimedia use after the workshop. A significant decrease in word count per slide was observed in foundational didactic sessions (p=0.002), while knowledge of specific multimedia terms showed non-significant improvement.

This study suggests that even brief multimedia training can positively influence resident presentation practices. Integrating such training into residency curricula could enhance communication skills and the effectiveness of medical education.