Evidence map›Paper›PMID 22873635›Full record

Trial reportBMC medical education2012

Reinforcing outpatient medical student learning using brief computer tutorials: the Patient-Teacher-Tutorial sequence.

Martin V Pusic, Wendy A MacDonald, Harley O Eisman, John B Black

Abstract readComparative StudyRandomized Controlled Trial
In one paragraph

Trial report in BMC medical education, 2012. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Martin V PusicDivision of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Columbia University, 622 W 168th St. PH1-137, New York, NY 10032, USA. mvp19@columbia.edu
Wendy A MacDonald
Harley O Eisman
John B Black

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundAt present, what students read after an outpatient encounter is largely left up to them. Our objective was to evaluate the education efficacy of a clinical education model in which the student moves through a sequence that includes immediately reinforcing their learning using a specifically designed computer tutorial.

methodsPrior to a 14-day Pediatric Emergency rotation, medical students completed pre-tests for two common pediatric topics: Oral Rehydration Solutions (ORS) and Fever Without Source (FWS). After encountering a patient with either FWS or a patient needing ORS, the student logged into a computer that randomly assigned them to either a) completing a relevant computer tutorial (e.g. FWS patient + FWS tutorial = "in sequence") or b) completing the non-relevant tutorial (e.g. FWS patient + ORS tutorial = "out of sequence"). At the end of their rotation, they were tested again on both topics. Our main outcome was post-test scores on a given tutorial topic, contrasted by whether done in- or out-of-sequence.

resultsNinety-two students completed the study protocol with 41 in the 'in sequence' group. Pre-test scores did not differ significantly. Overall, doing a computer tutorial in sequence resulted in significantly greater post-test scores (z-score 1.1 (SD 0.70) in sequence vs. 0.52 (1.1) out-of-sequence; 95% CI for difference +0.16, +0.93). Students spent longer on the tutorials when they were done in sequence (12.1 min (SD 7.3) vs. 10.5 (6.5)) though the difference was not statistically significant (95% CI diff: -1.2 min, +4.5).

conclusionsOutpatient learning frameworks could be structured to take best advantage of the heightened learning potential created by patient encounters. We propose the Patient-Teacher-Tutorial sequence as a framework for organizing learning in outpatient clinical settings.

Indexed as

Computer-Assisted InstructionModels, EducationalProgrammed Instructions as TopicReinforcement, PsychologyChild, PreschoolClinical CompetenceCurriculumDiarrhea, InfantileEducational MeasurementEducation, Medical, UndergraduateEmergency Medical ServicesEmergency MedicineFever of Unknown OriginFluid TherapyHumansInfant

Identifiers

PMID22873635
PMCPMC3517358

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.