Presented By: Zoë Soon, University of British Columbia Okanagan
Co-Authors: Elizabeth Prabhakar, Brunel Medical School

Purpose 
An international collaboration between two different yet complimentary health care programs formed to develop a novel, visually-engaging, thought-provoking interactivity dimension to Team-Based Learning (TBL).  The goal being to enhance both the learning experience and learning gains for students.  This abstract describes the project and its outcomes. 

Methods 
An Ella's Law Case Study lesson was developed to allow students to test their knowledge of the following aspects of Chronic Asthma:  etiology, risk factors, pathogenesis, signs and symptoms, diagnostic tests, treatment options, typical prognosis, lifestyle recommendations, and possible complications.  The inspiration for this case study is Ella Kissi-Debrah, aged 9, who was the first person in the UK to have air pollution listed as cause of death by a coroner.  In this case study, the traditional TBL becomes more interactive by using a live Virtual Patient Simulator coupled with variety of electronic question types.  During the lesson, the virtual patient experienced the progression of an asthmatic attack.  Students in the class were asked to predict what would happen to HR, RR, MAP, SpO2 at each stage (mild, moderate, severe) and offer suggestions for appropriate medical diagnostic tests and interventions.  The goal was not only to learn and demonstrate knowledge, but also to save the patient and prevent respiratory failure. 

Results 
Approximately two hundred students took part and learning gain measurements found there was an average of 23% improvement in scores after participating in the virtual patient simulation TBL. 

Conclusions 
A mutually beneficial collaboration between two different health care programs lead to the creativity and sharing of resources that not only helped students better master fundamental knowledge of respiratory disease, but also exposed them to current and relevant health care news, the Clean Air Bill, and socioeconomic determinants of health.