Use of a Perceptual Adaptive Learning Module Results in Improved Accuracy and Fluency of Fetal Heart Rate Categorization by Medical Students

Abstract

Local Mentor: Sally Krasne, PhD APGO Advisor: Nancy Hueppchen, MD, MSc PURPOSE: Our aim is to evaluate whether use of a Perceptual Adaptive Learning Module (PALM) by medical students would result in improved accuracy and “fluency” (accuracy and speed) of Fetal Heart Rate (FHR) categorization versus traditional lecture methods. BACKGROUND: No published studies have evaluated the best method of teaching FHR interpretation. The PALM has been shown to improve learning in skills requiring pattern recognition. METHODS: This is a non-randomized controlled trial of third-year medical students. All subjects underwent a pretest and received a basic FHR physiology lecture. Subjects were then exposed to the PALM or to additional lecture reviewing details of FHR categorization. All subjects took an immediate posttest and a delayed test 5 weeks later. RESULTS: From April to September 2015, 66 subjects participated: 33 were assigned to the experimental (PALM) arm and 33 to the control (traditional lecture) arm. Only the PALM showed a significant improvement in accuracy and fluency from the pretest to posttest (accuracy from 35% to 71%, P<.05; fluency 27–65%, P<.05). Both interventions showed significant improvement in accuracy and fluency on the delayed test reflecting learning throughout the rotation. However, the PALM showed a significantly greater improvement as compared to the lecture group in both the posttest (accuracy 70% PALM versus 47% lecture, P<.05; fluency 61% versus 29%, P<.05) and the delayed test (accuracy 69% PALM versus 57% lecture, P<.05; fluency 58% versus 41%, P<.05). DISCUSSION: The PALM resulted in more accurate and fluent categorization of FHR tracings compared to traditional lecture, and the effect persisted on delayed testing.