Session Information
Date: Monday, November 14, 2016
Title: Education - Poster
Session Type: ACR Poster Session B
Session Time: 9:00AM-11:00AM
Background/Purpose:
Given the expanding aging population and burden of rheumatic diseases, along with an anticipated shortage of rheumatologists, there is increasing urgency to develop curriculums that properly train and attract new fellows. A recent study showed a low level of self assessed confidence in rheumatology knowledge and skills among internal medicine residents despite increasing years of training1. Increased patient exposure can potentially increase students’ interest in becoming rheumatologists. It remains to be tested whether videos featuring patients can be an effective teaching tool. The aim of this study is to assess whether videos featuring real patients can increase interest and improve learning in rheumatology among second year medical students.
Methods:
A rheumatologist gave a PowerPoint lecture on rheumatoid arthritis (RA) followed by short video segments featuring real patients talking about their experiences with RA. The rheumatologist explained and demonstrated physical findings characteristic of RA. Prior to filming, the patients completed informed consents stating that the videos will only be used for educational purposes. Immediately after lecture, students rated their confidence in taking a history from patients with joint pain, forming differential diagnoses for patients with joint pain and identifying physical exam findings associated with RA. The survey included a comments section to gather students’ perception of the videos.
Results:
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TABLE 1. Demographic Characteristics of Second Year Medical Students and their Interest in Rheumatology (n=61) |
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Gender |
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Male |
30 (49%) |
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Female |
31 (51%) |
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Age |
24 (median) |
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Career Plan |
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Internal Medicine |
0 (0%) |
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Internal Medicine Subspecialty |
15 (24.6%) |
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Surgical Specialty |
15 (24.6%) |
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Other |
25 (41%) |
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Undecided |
5 (8.2%) |
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Have you had a medical school lecture in rheumatology? |
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Yes |
53 (86.9%) |
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No |
8 (13.1%) |
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Did this lecture increase your interest in taking a rheumatology elective? |
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Yes |
31 (51%) |
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No |
15 (24.5%) |
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Undecided |
15 (24.5%) |
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Do you have an interest in rheumatology as a career? |
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Yes |
1 (1.6%) |
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No |
35 (57.4%) |
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Undecided |
25 (41%) |
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Did this lecture increase your interest in pursuing rheumatology as a career? |
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Yes |
10 (16.4%) |
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No |
31 (50.8%) |
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Undecided |
20 (32.8%) |
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Do you have adequate exposure to rheumatology in two years of medical school? |
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Not at all |
6 (9.8%) |
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A little bit |
12 (19.7%) |
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Somewhat |
20 (32.8%) |
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Adequate |
23 (37.7%) |
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Very Adequate |
0 (0%) |
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TABLE2. Comparison of confidence rating based on self-reported impact from video exposure
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N (%) |
Average Rating┼ (+/- S.D.) |
P value* |
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Patient History Gathering |
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Increased confidence |
31 (51%) |
3.5 +/- 0.6 |
<0.01 |
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No change in confidence |
30 (49%) |
2.5 +/- 0.7 |
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Forming Differential Diagnosis |
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Increased confidence |
23 (38%) |
3.3 +/- 0.6 |
<0.01 |
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No change in confidence |
38 (62%) |
2.5 +/- 0.8 |
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Identifying RA Physical Exam Findings |
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Increased confidence |
46 (75%) |
3.8 +/- 0.7 |
<0.01 |
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No change in confidence |
15 (25%) |
2.9 +/- 0.5 |
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Board Exam Preparation |
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Helpful |
27 (45%) |
3.2 +/- 0.8 |
<0.01 |
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Did not help |
33 (55%) |
2.5 +/- 0.9 |
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┼Rating on a (1) to (5) scale: (1) not at all (2) a little bit (3) somewhat (4) moderately (5) extremely *p-values were obtained using the Mann-Whitney-Wilcoxon test |
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Among students who reported that watching the videos increased their confidence in history gathering, forming differential diagnoses, identifying RA physical findings in patients with joint pain, they also reported higher level of confidence in those areas compared to students who did not report increase in confidence from watching the videos. In the comments section, students reported the videos were ‘helpful’, ‘personable’, ‘memorable’, and useful in recalling ‘landmark manifestations more easily’ and in realizing the drastic changes of RA on patients’ lives.
Conclusion:
This study suggests that including patient videos in lectures may generate interest in rheumatology and increase self perceived confidence in taking a history and physical from patients with joint pain. More rigorous studies are needed to evaluate the role of patient videos in medical school curriculum.
Reference:
1. Kroop SF, Chung CP, Davidson MA, et al. Rheumatologic skills development: what are the needs of internal medicine residents? Clin Rheumatol. 2015
To cite this abstract in AMA style:
Wang S, Meltzer M. Can Patient Videos in Lectures Increase Interest and Improve Learning in Rheumatology Among Second Year Medical Students? [abstract]. Arthritis Rheumatol. 2016; 68 (suppl 10). https://acrabstracts.org/abstract/can-patient-videos-in-lectures-increase-interest-and-improve-learning-in-rheumatology-among-second-year-medical-students/. Accessed .« Back to 2016 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting
ACR Meeting Abstracts - https://acrabstracts.org/abstract/can-patient-videos-in-lectures-increase-interest-and-improve-learning-in-rheumatology-among-second-year-medical-students/