Moderated by Kelly Quesnelle

PRESENTATION 1 - Brave New E-world: Medical Students' Preferences for and Usage of Electronic Learning Resources During Two Different Phases of Their Education    
Michael Hortsch    
University of Michigan Medical School 

PURPOSE E-learning strategies have become an essential part of medical education. However, how and why medical students select hardware tools and software formats during their pre-clinical education has not been sufficiently analyzed and documented. Insight into e-learning resource utilization by medical students will help educators and medical schools to decide which resources to offer to their students.

METHODS Two medical school classes at a major US medical school were surveyed about their use of e-learning resources during either their first year of medical school or their preparation for their first licensing examination (USMLE® Step 1). Their responses were analyzed for patterns and significant changes.

RESULTS Students' answers indicated that computers and tablets were considered most important to support students' learning. During the first year, students often preferred resources that were tailored to the specific courses in their curriculum. In contrast, some preferences changed when students prepared for the USMLE® Step 1, with students shifting almost exclusively to commercial e-learning resources and adopting a solitary learning strategy. Across all phases of medical school education queried, peer advice was the major determinant influencing e-learning resource selection, videos were the most popular e-learning modality, and students cited efficient acquisition of knowledge and preparation for examinations as major reasons for e-learning tool utilization.

CONCLUSION Students' e-learning resource preferences differ by academic year, indicating that e-learning resources likely serve specific tasks, such as preparing for examinations. Additionally, a major determinant influencing e-learning resource selection was peer advice, with faculty only playing a minor advisory role. These factors should be considered when offering e-learning resources to medical students during different phases of their training.

PRESENTATION 2 - Gamification on Medical Education in Times of Covid-19: Effects on Motivation and Student Engagement, an Alternative to Traditional Learning    
Luis Bueno-Gutierrez    
Escuela de Medicina y Ciencias de la Salud

PURPOSE The COVID-19 pandemic's impact has been immeasurable and has shifted medical education towards the online classroom. The virtual curriculum has posed new challenges to educators and students, as teaching and practice are notably harder to achieve remotely. Prior studies suggest a positive impact of gamification on enhancing students' performance, motivation, and decision-making skills. This study evaluates the students' perception and satisfaction with gamification integration in an online medical course.

METHODS We conducted a cross-sectional study in a cohort of third-year health sciences students in a medical school in Northern Mexico. First, we implemented Kahoot!® as our gamification tool as 10-question quizzes during a 5-week online course on history taking and physical examination theory. Finally, a survey with both closed and open-ended questions assessed the students' perception and satisfaction with gamification integration in the online course.

RESULTS Forty-seven students answered the survey, 85.1% were female, and 14.9% were male. Most students reported a better understanding of theoretical concepts (80.8%), application to clinical scenarios (70.2%), and were more motivated to study theoretical concepts (61.7%) and to keep learning (74.5%). In the open-ended part of the survey, the students reported increased motivation to attend class, considered the intervention a fun, dynamic approach to learning, and received critical feedback from their tutors after each quiz question.

CONCLUSION The students perceived our gamification-based intervention favorably. If applied to medical education, it may enhance the students' engagement in the virtual classroom. Future studies comparing gamified groups versus traditional learning methods could help develop new learning strategies across all healthcare disciplines in the COVID era.

PRESENTATION 3 - Usability Does Not Guarantee Use: How Timing Influences Student Adoption of a Histology Learning App    
Jonathan Fisher    
University of Illinois College of Medicine Peoria 

PURPOSE Mobile applications (apps) are increasingly used to supplement medical education. However, as more apps are introduced to supplement teaching, it is unclear how students incorporate these technologies into their learning. We sought to clarify how the timing of app introduction during a histology course influences its adoption and use.

METHODS We developed an app for gastrointestinal histology that was used in the final course of the first-year medical curriculum. The app contained a learning mode (explore) to supplement histology labs and a testing mode (gaming) with randomized multiple choice questions. To address the impact of timing, half the students gained app access the first three weeks of class (Group A) while the other group gained access three weeks prior to the exam (Group B). We examined students' use of the app via logins, time of use, and mode usage. We also conducted student interviews and an anonymous survey to ascertain how students used the app.

RESULTS 63/301 first-year students installed the app and 50 filled out the survey. Explore mode was used equally between groups. Group B showed a trend for higher use of the gaming mode, but it was not statistically significant. 44/50 surveyed students rated the app 3 or more stars out of 5. 26/50 students used the app once a week or more. Student interviews suggested students are less inclined to incorporate new technology tools in later stages of their first year.

DISCUSSION Though feedback on the histology app was positive, the adoption rate among students was low. Both groups used the explore mode to a similar degree, but Group B showed increased use of the game mode to prepare for the examination. Students suggest introducing new tech tools early in curriculum before study plan structure solidifies and demonstrating the tool in class to increase use.

PRESENTATION 4 - Faculty Readiness for a Digital Education Model: a Self-assessment From Health Sciences Educators    
Silvia Olivares
Tecnologico de Monterrey 

PURPOSE During the COVID-19 pandemic, the continuity of education across the world is being supported through e-learning. Healthcare programs especially, require continuing patient-centered training to benefit individuals and society. The objective of this study was to assess the faculty members' skills to continue educational services through a digital education model at the beginning of the lockdown.

METHODS The methodology consisted in a quantitative approach descriptive and cross-sectional design. The instrument was a survey with two sections: (1) self-assessment and (2) self-ranking based on the digital education model.

RESULTS The results for 497 participants indicated higher scores on active learning and web conference digital skills. Evaluation is still a competence required to be reinforced by the faculty to incorporate a full transition into online learning.

CONCLUSION There seems to be an agreement about faculty readiness to implement different active learning strategies, despite being in a distance education model.  University leaders welcomed the self-assessment that faculty members performed on digital skills as it allowed them to adapt the training programs and designate staff teams to support the educators once classes restarted. Educators implementing a digital education model should consider a planned and structured educational solution that is beyond the distance between learners and teachers, but an engaging environment for learning incorporating different technologies and active pedagogies.