Journal Article

Implementation of a Smartphone application in medical education: a randomised trial (iSTART)

Taramasco, Carla, Martínez, Felipe, Tobar, Catalina

2017

Overview

Smartphones are recent technologies that combine the capabilities of telephone communications and informatics in small portable devices that allow communications and information processing even at the patient’s bedside [1, 2]. As noted in the general public, these devices have shown significant growth in the international medical community [3], niche where they perform functions that range from undergraduate education to health resource management [4, 5]. Several studies have shown that smartphones are frequently used among physicians, medical students and interns, with overall use rates reaching 80%. iOs®-based systems, such as the iPhone®, seem to be the most commonly used platforms [1, 6-8]. The popularity of smartphones is likely to stem from their versatility. Current devices have a wide variety of functions, which can assist in medical decision making, information searches and educational applications, among other uses [8]. Use in clinical practice seems to be more common among women, people with an interest in new technologies and those with prior experiences with these platforms [7]. Despite this popularity, there is limited evidence regarding the effectiveness of smartphone use in improving academic performance among medical students [9]. While there is a wide availability of applications and resources available for these platforms, only a few randomised trials have addressed their effectiveness in improving academic performance. In 2011, Low and coworkers published one of these studies using objective clinical competence scores as a primary endpoint [10]. The latter trial reported a statistically significant improvement of roughly 15% in the academic performance of students allocated to receive the application. Similar findings were seen in a second, before & after, study that was conducted among Obstetrics & Gynecology residents [11]. Since 2003, a national examination for undergraduate medical students that have completed their internships is carried out in Chile. This exam (Examen Unico Nacional de Conocimientos en Medicina - EUNACOM) is designed to assess the overall knowledge and practical skills that any medical student should attain before practising medicine in the country. Its confection and administration are regulated by law, and its oversight has been delegated to the Association of Faculties of Medicine of Chile (ASOFAMECH). EUNACOM is made of two sections, theoretical and practical, and is considered qualifying to practise medicine in Chile. The contents of both sections are of public knowledge and include 1543 items distributed according to the curricular time spent training in different areas of medicine, with special emphasis on internal medicine and its subspecialties [12]. The theoretical component is evaluated using 180 multiple-choice questions delivered in two 90-min sessions. Additionally, EUNACOM provides professional title validation or equivalencies for foreign physicians who wish to practice medicine in Chile. Given the importance of this exam, several medical schools have implemented preparation courses for their students. However, the methodologies used in the latter courses are heterogeneous, and uncertainty exists regarding the best way in which contents should be delivered. This study aims to determine whether the implementation of a smartphone application designed to assist in delivering key concepts relevant to internal medicine might improve academic performance in EUNACOM.

• Publisher: BioMed Central,BioMed Central Ltd,Springer Nature B.V,BMC
• Subject: Academic Achievement / Academic Performance / Adult / Chile / Communications / Computer Software / Computer Systems / Control Groups / Curriculum development / Double-Blind Method / Education / Educational Change / Educational Measurement / Evidence / Female / Graduate Students / Gynecology / Humans / Information Processing / Information Science / Intention / Internal Medicine / Internal Medicine - education / Internship Programs / Male / Medical Education / Medical Schools / Medical Students / Mobile Applications / Multiple choice / Multiple Choice Tests / Peer Acceptance / Physicians / Quality Improvement / Research Article / Smart phones / Smartphone - utilization / Smartphones / Student, medical / Students / Studies / Study and teaching / Teaching Methods / Theory of Medicine/Bioethics / Undergraduate Study / Vignettes