The role of online videos in teaching procedural skills to post-graduate medical learners: A systematic narrative review

Abstract

Objective: Online videos are commonly used in medical education. The aim of this review was to investigate the role of online instructional videos in teaching procedural skills to postgraduate medical learners.

Methods: This systematic narrative review was conducted according to the PRISMA guidelines. MEDLINE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, EMBASE, ERIC and Google Scholar were searched. Full texts that applied to online videos, postgraduate medical learners and procedural skills were included without language restrictions. The methodological quality of the studies was evaluated using a validated tool. A thematic analysis of the studies was carried out using a general inductive approach.

Results: A total of 785 articles were retrieved and the full text was reviewed for 66 articles that met the inclusion and exclusion criteria of the study. Twenty papers that were relevant to the role of online videos in postgraduate medical education of procedural skills were used for this review. They were heterogenous in the outcomes collected and the evidence was of variable quality. There was strong evidence for the use of online videos for procedural skill knowledge acquisition and retention. Online videos were used for various purposes, such as supervision, assessment, postoperative debriefing, providing feedback, and promoting reflection.

Conclusion: Online videos are a valuable educational tool especially for procedural skill knowledge acquisition and retention. Future research needs to be carried out on the appropriate use of platforms in disseminating and using online videos, identifying the factors surrounding the learners, video characteristics, and data protection.

Keywords:

• Online medical education
• online videos
• postgraduate medical graduate
• procedural skills
• clinical skills

Acknowledgements

We would like to acknowledge Anne Wilson, senior librarian from the University of Auckland library services for her help with the literature search.

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the article.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Komal Srinivasa

Komal Srinivasa, MBChB, is a pathologist at LabPlus Auckland City hospital. She specialises in neuropathology and urological pathology. She has recently finished a post-graduate diploma through the University of Auckland.

Yan Chen

Yan Chen, PhD, is a lecturer at the Centre for Medical and Health Sciences Education at the University of Auckland.

Marcus A. Henning

Marcus A. Henning, PhD, is an associate professor and the post-graduate academic advisor at the Centre for Medical and Health Sciences Education at the University of Auckland.