Interactive case-based learning improves resident knowledge and confidence in reproductive endocrinology and infertility

Abstract

Resident physicians’ scores on the REI section of the CREOG exam are traditionally low, and nearly 40% of house staff nation-wide perceive their REI knowledge to be poor. We aimed to assess whether an interactive case-based group-learning curriculum would narrow the REI knowledge gap by improving understanding and retention of core REI concepts under the time constraints affecting residents. A three-hour case-based workshop was developed to address four primary CREOG objectives. A multiple-choice test was administered immediately before and after the intervention and 7 weeks post-workshop, to evaluate both knowledge and confidence. Following the intervention, residents self-reported increased confidence with counseling and treatment of PCOS, ovulation induction cycle monitoring, counseling and treatment of POI, and breaking bad news related to infertility (p < 0.05). The multiple-choice exam was re-administered 7 weeks post-intervention, and scores remained significantly improved compared to pre-workshop scores (p < 0.05). At that time, all residents either strongly agreed (91.7%) or agreed (8.3%) that the case-based interactive format was preferable to traditional lecture-based teaching. In conclusion, a nontraditional curriculum aimed at teaching core REI concepts to residents through interactive case-based learning can be successfully integrated into a residency curriculum, and significantly improves knowledge and confidence of critical concepts in REI.

Chinese abstract

在CREOG测试中, 住院医师在REI部分的得分一直比较低, 并且接近40%的全国住院医师意识到他们的REI知识是不足的。我们的目的是评估基于病例的互动式小组学习课程是否可以减小住院医师对于REI知识的理解与记忆的差距, 其在住院医师有限的时间内通过提高他们对REI的核心概念的理解和记忆。利用三个小时基于病例的研讨会来解决CREOG的四个主要目标。在干预前后即刻与研讨会7周之后进行一项多选择的测试来评估住院医师REI的知识与自信。在干预之后, 住院医师自述对于PCOS的咨询与治疗, 诱导排卵周期的管理, POI的咨询与治疗, 以及打破有关不孕症的坏消息等的自信有所提高 (p < 0.05) 。在研讨会7周之后, 重新进行多选择的测试, 发现相比于研讨会之前的分数有明显地提高。同时所有的住院医师要么强烈同意 (占91.7%) 要么同意 (占8.3%) 基于病例的互动式学习优于传统的基于课堂的教育。总之, 一项非传统的课程通过基于病例的互动式学习旨在教住院医师REI的核心概念可以成功地整合到住院医师的课程里, 而且很大程度地提高对于REI重要概念的知识和自信。

Keywords:

• Case-based learning
• CREOG
• interactive learning
• reproductive endocrinology and infertility
• resident education

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the OB/GYN residents at New York University Langone Medical Center for their enthusiastic participation. Special acknowledgements to Maryam Guiahi, MD for teaching and inspiring medical students and residents in OB/GYN.

Declaration of interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest.