BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Advances in technology present opportunities to develop and test innovative teaching methods. We sought to evaluate whether text messaging could improve medical resident knowledge in musculoskeletal medicine. METHODS:Eleven U.S. family medicine residency programs with a total of 269 residents participated in this randomized, controlled trial. Residents were invited to complete a pretest to assess musculoskeletal medicine knowledge. The residents randomized to the intervention group were then offered to receive text messages termed electronically Generated Educational Messages (eGEMs) three times per week during a 12-week period. The primary outcome was change in pretest and posttest scores among residents in an intervention group (those who received text messages) as compared to a control group (those who did not receive the text messages). Focus groups were conducted to assess resident acceptability and usefulness of text messaging as a teaching tool. RESULTS: Sixty-three residents completed the pretests and posttests. The intervention group's score improved from 55% of questions answered correctly to 64%; the control group improved from 56% to 61%. While these pretest/posttest changes each were statistically significant, the difference in improvement between the two groups was not. Focus groups revealed that participants liked the intervention, but suggestions for improvement included ability to tailor the eGEMs. CONCLUSIONS: The use of eGEMs as initially developed did not increase resident knowledge based on exam scores. Further study is needed to determine if a more tailored intervention is effective.
RCT Entities:
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Advances in technology present opportunities to develop and test innovative teaching methods. We sought to evaluate whether text messaging could improve medical resident knowledge in musculoskeletal medicine. METHODS: Eleven U.S. family medicine residency programs with a total of 269 residents participated in this randomized, controlled trial. Residents were invited to complete a pretest to assess musculoskeletal medicine knowledge. The residents randomized to the intervention group were then offered to receive text messages termed electronically Generated Educational Messages (eGEMs) three times per week during a 12-week period. The primary outcome was change in pretest and posttest scores among residents in an intervention group (those who received text messages) as compared to a control group (those who did not receive the text messages). Focus groups were conducted to assess resident acceptability and usefulness of text messaging as a teaching tool. RESULTS: Sixty-three residents completed the pretests and posttests. The intervention group's score improved from 55% of questions answered correctly to 64%; the control group improved from 56% to 61%. While these pretest/posttest changes each were statistically significant, the difference in improvement between the two groups was not. Focus groups revealed that participants liked the intervention, but suggestions for improvement included ability to tailor the eGEMs. CONCLUSIONS: The use of eGEMs as initially developed did not increase resident knowledge based on exam scores. Further study is needed to determine if a more tailored intervention is effective.
Authors: Christopher J Gill; Bao Le Ngoc; Nafisa Halim; Ha Nguyen Viet; Anna Larson Williams; Tan Nguyen Van; Marion McNabb; Lien Tran Thi Ngoc; Ariel Falconer; Hai An Phan Ha; Julia Rohr; Hai Hoang; James Michiel; Tam Nguyen Thi Thanh; Liat Bird; Hoang Pham Vu; Mahlet Yeshitla; Nhu Ha Van; Lora Sabin Journal: PLoS One Date: 2016-11-18 Impact factor: 3.240
Authors: Lora L Sabin; Anna Larson Williams; Bao Ngoc Le; Augusta R Herman; Ha Viet Nguyen; Rebecca R Albanese; Wenjun Xiong; Hezekiah Oa Shobiye; Nafisa Halim; Lien Thi Ngoc Tran; Marion McNabb; Hai Hoang; Ariel Falconer; Tam Thi Thanh Nguyen; Christopher J Gill Journal: Glob Health Sci Pract Date: 2017-06-27
Authors: Christopher J Gill; Ngoc Bao Le; Nafisa Halim; Cao Thi Hue Chi; Viet Ha Nguyen; Rachael Bonawitz; Pham Vu Hoang; Hoang Long Nguyen; Phan Thi Thu Huong; Anna Larson Williams; Ngoc Anh Le; Lora Sabin Journal: BMJ Glob Health Date: 2018-02-26
Authors: Gerard Dunleavy; Charoula Konstantia Nikolaou; Sokratis Nifakos; Rifat Atun; Gloria Chun Yi Law; Lorainne Tudor Car Journal: J Med Internet Res Date: 2019-02-12 Impact factor: 5.428
Authors: Joshua Bernstein; Lindsay Mazotti; Tal Ann Ziv; Joanna Drowos; Sandra Whitlock; Sarah K Wood; Shelley L Galvin; Robyn Latessa Journal: MedEdPORTAL Date: 2018-09-21