Virtual Patients in Undergraduate Surgery Education: A Randomized Controlled Study

Authors

  • Mohammad Shariati دانشگاه علوم پزشکي تهران- مرکز مطالعات و توسعه آموزش دانشگاه
  • Masoud Yunesian دانشگاه علوم پزشکي تهران- گروه مهندسی بهداشت محیط
  • Eraj Harirchi دانشگاه علوم پزشكي تهران- گروه آموزش جراحی
  • Ahmad Khosravi دانشگاه علوم پزشکي شاهرود- کارشناس ارشد اپیدمیولوژی

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.22100/jkh.v3i1.197

Keywords:

Clinical clerkship, Computer-assisted instruction, Randomized controlled trials, User–computer interface.

Abstract

Introduction: This study aims to clarify the effects of implementing a series of virtual patients in undergraduate surgery education on various dimensions of skills as applied to clinical problems.

 

Methods: In a randomized controlled trial 48 surgery clerks were assigned to an intervention group who worked on 14 simulated cases of abdominal pain during 7 weeks in a computer lab and a control group without access to software. At the end of the intervention, both groups were tested by a structured, seven-part paper-based exam evaluating certain areas of competence.

 

Results: In this study, from 48 medical students, forty-five students took the exam. Results showed a significant improvement in history taking (P < 0.001) and no improvement in scores related to appropriate use of radiology and lab tests, proposing differential diagnoses and management plans and factual knowledge. From the intervention group, 20 students completed a virtual case exam whose results had a poor correlation with the written exam.

 

Conclusion: Overall, our findings indicate that virtual patients are strong tools in enhancing history-taking skills of students, but they do not affect other areas of competence significantly. Educators are recommended to be sceptical about enthusiastic reports on various computer applications and avoid falling into false expectations of their implementation.

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Published

2008-06-10

Issue

Section

Original Article(s)

How to Cite

Virtual Patients in Undergraduate Surgery Education: A Randomized Controlled Study. (2008). Knowledge and Health in Basic Medical Sciences, 3(1), 2-8. https://doi.org/10.22100/jkh.v3i1.197

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