Humanized interactive digital cardiology training

Abstract

Abstract Background The consolidation of new digital educational cardiology paradigms requires the implementation of innovative strategies to transform students into competent professionals. Objectives To assess cardiology knowledge and satisfaction of medical students before and after the use of a new active method with a humanized interactive clinical cases digital platform, called virtual case-based learning (VCBL). Methods This was a prospective study of a cardiology teaching-learning process for medical students. A 40 cardiology multiple choice questions test (in five cardiology topics) and a satisfaction evaluation questionnaires were applied in 2018 (87 students) and 2019 (89 students). The new VCBL method was compared with the traditional cardiology active methodology PBL (problem-based learning) (Picture 1). Descriptive and association analyses were made using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences. Results A total of 167 evaluation forms were administered to medical students and analyzed. In the evaluation of the cardiology cognitive 40 multiple choice question test, the 2018 (PBL) and the 2019 (VCBL) students groups achieve a mean score of 41.7 and 73.3 points (Picture 2), respectively (p<0.001). Among the students who responded to the satisfaction evaluation form, 76.0% gave the highest rating to the question if this methodology improves a better training to the traditional PBL in their perception . Nearly 70.0% of students positively evaluated the knowledge acquisition with this new clinical cases humanized virtual model; 78.0% reported to feel prepared for working in outpatient care; and 94.0% positively evaluated the new methodology. Conclusion In this initial study, the results indicate that new digital options are needed for cardiology training. The new active method of humanized interactive clinical cases digital platform, using VCBL method, may help the cardiology teaching-learning process, promoting higher cardiology knowledge and satisfaction by the students and could also be tested for professionals cardiology training.Flowchart of the learning models’ stepsComparison of Students Cardiology Scores