Evaluation of a web-based ECG-interpretation programme for undergraduate medical students
2008

Evaluating a Web-Based ECG Learning Program for Medical Students

Sample size: 32 publication Evidence: moderate

Author Information

Author(s): Nilsson Mikael, Bolinder Gunilla, Held Claes, Johansson Bo-Lennart, Fors Uno, Östergren Jan

Primary Institution: Karolinska Institutet

Hypothesis

Can a web-based ECG interpretation program improve the skills of medical students compared to traditional teaching methods?

Conclusion

The web-based ECG interpretation program was found to be a useful tool for learning ECG, showing improved skills compared to traditional methods.

Supporting Evidence

  • 20 out of 32 students in the intervention group used the program after 2 months.
  • Students rated the utility of the web-based program as 4.1 out of 5.
  • The intervention group scored an average of 9.7 on the diagnostic test compared to 8.1 for the control group.

Takeaway

This study shows that using a computer program to learn about heart rhythms can help students understand better than just listening to a teacher.

Methodology

Medical students used a web-based ECG interpretation program and their skills were assessed through a diagnostic test compared to a control group with traditional teaching.

Potential Biases

There is a possibility of volunteer bias as participation in the study was not compulsory.

Limitations

Some students did not take the voluntary diagnostic test, and there was no pre-test conducted.

Participant Demographics

32 medical students (12 males, 20 females, mean age 27 years) participated in the intervention group.

Statistical Information

P-Value

0.03

Statistical Significance

p = 0.03

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1186/1472-6920-8-25

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