Statistics Microlearning Curriculum Improves Gynecologic Surgery Residents' Knowledge and Confidence

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Biostatistics
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Gynecologic surgery and obstetrics residents require strong biostatistics and epidemiology knowledge for evidence-based practice.
• Existing educational methods may not adequately address these knowledge gaps.
• A novel microlearning approach was explored to enhance resident education.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the effectiveness of a novel microlearning curriculum in improving biostatistics and epidemiology knowledge among gynecologic surgery and obstetrics residents.

Main Methods:

• A 6-session, bi-monthly microlearning curriculum was developed and implemented.
• Sessions incorporated journal club reviews of seminal articles with foundational concept slide sets.
• Text-based questions were administered pre- and post-session to reinforce learning.

Main Results:

• Knowledge scores improved by 16.4 percentage points (p=0.004).
• Confidence in interpreting statistics increased by 0.57 points on a 5-point scale (p=0.007).
• Sixteen and seventeen residents completed pre- and post-intervention assessments, respectively.

Conclusions:

• Microlearning techniques show promise in enhancing resident knowledge of biostatistics and epidemiology.
• This curriculum effectively addressed critical knowledge gaps in evidence-based practice.
• The findings support the integration of microlearning into surgical residency education.