A-089 Development and Implementation of an online learning Environment for clinical chemistry resident education: UAMS experience

Abstract

Abstract Background The clinical chemistry resident teaching rotation extends over 12 weeks, equivalent to a three-month period. The first chemistry rotation is scheduled for the first year, the second for the second year, and the final rotation for the fourth year. Throughout the 12-week teaching rotation, residents are exposed to a range of clinical chemistry concepts, including laboratory management, quality assurance, and test interpretation, among others. By the end of the program, residents should be well-equipped to provide expert guidance and advice on clinical chemistry matters. The current generation of learners values education that is flexible and accessible, leading to the growth and integration of blended or hybrid learning in various educational settings. This research aims to assess the effectiveness of the newly implemented online platform by analyzing feedback from residents and their quiz scores before and after the change. Methods A Box folder was created for the clinical chemistry rotation and divided into three subfolders for each rotation. Each subfolder contains materials for quizzes, cases for discussions, articles, and presentations. All the residents have access to the Box folder for educational materials. Previously, reading assignments were emailed the day before sessions, while quizzes and cases were given during sessions. In order to assess the efficacy of the online platform, we conducted an analysis of the average quiz scores before and after its implementation. In addition, we utilized the feedback provided by residents to evaluate the platform's practicality and adaptability. Results On average, the residents post-implementation scores (30 quizzes) increased by 20% (10%-35%). The pre-implementation average score was 50%, which increased to an 80% success rate after implementation. The residents unanimously agreed that the new online learning environment was very helpful in preparing them for the in-person session. They also expressed dissatisfaction with the previous learning style, which made it difficult for them to focus on learning while answering questions given on the spot. Instead, they preferred being provided with the questions beforehand, which allowed them to carefully read and search for answers to quizzes and case studies. The residents found that speed-reading through the questions and quickly glancing over the answers and explanations was not helpful to their learning process. Overall, the new learning format was able to alleviate their stress levels and helped them better prepare for the in-person session. Conclusions The online learning environment has been found to be a preferred mode of education by UAMS pathology residents. It has been deemed effective and suitable for our academic setting.