In this episode, we dive into a systematic review that explores the effectiveness of online digital education (ODE) for medical doctors' post-registration training. Hosts Zaynab and Yassin break down the findings from 93 randomized controlled trials, analyzing how ODE impacts doctors' knowledge, skills, attitudes, and even satisfaction compared to traditional learning methods. While ODE offers flexibility and convenience, the evidence on its effectiveness remains mixed.
We also explore the gaps in the research, such as how ODE affects patient outcomes and cost-effectiveness, and discuss the future of online medical education, including the potential for patient involvement in training. Whether you're a healthcare professional, educator, or curious about digital learning, this episode offers a thought-provoking look at the evolving landscape of medical education.
Link to publication: https://www.jmir.org/2019/2/e13269/
Chapters
In this episode, we dive into a systematic review that explores the effectiveness of online digital education (ODE) for medical doctors' post-registration training. Hosts Zaynab and Yassin break down the findings from 93 randomized controlled trials, analyzing how ODE impacts doctors' knowledge, skills, attitudes, and even satisfaction compared to traditional learning methods. While ODE offers flexibility and convenience, the evidence on its effectiveness remains mixed.
We also explore the gaps in the research, such as how ODE affects patient outcomes and cost-effectiveness, and discuss the future of online medical education, including the potential for patient involvement in training. Whether you're a healthcare professional, educator, or curious about digital learning, this episode offers a thought-provoking look at the evolving landscape of medical education.
Link to publication: https://www.jmir.org/2019/2/e13269/
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Yassin:
Ever find yourself going down, like, a YouTube rabbit hole? You know? Mhmm. Like, suddenly you're an expert on, like, 17th century basket weaving or something?
Zaynab:
Yeah.
Yassin:
We've all been there, but, what happens when doctors are the ones learning online?
Zaynab:
Yeah. This is
Yassin:
what we're diving into today, actually, with this research paper that you sent us.
Zaynab:
Okay.
Yassin:
Cool. So it's not about, like, med school exams or anything.
Zaynab:
Right.
Yassin:
This is about how doctors keep their skills sharp after they're already out there practicing.
Zaynab:
Okay.
Yassin:
So does online learning actually make them better at what they do?
Zaynab:
Mhmm.
Yassin:
Let's find out.
Zaynab:
Yeah. Let's do it.
Yassin:
So this paper is a systematic review.
Zaynab:
Okay.
Yassin:
Meaning, it analyzes a bunch of previous studies, 93 to be exact.
Zaynab:
Wow. Okay.
Yassin:
To get, like, a broad overview. Yeah. So think of it like this massive puzzle. Right? And each study is a piece.
Zaynab:
And, like, any good puzzle, it gets really interesting when you start seeing how the pieces fit together or in some cases, don't.
Yassin:
Exactly. Yeah. So this review was published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research.
Zaynab:
Okay.
Yassin:
And they looked at online and blended learning for doctors who are already out there treating patients.
Zaynab:
Got it.
Yassin:
So they wanted to know, does it actually work?
Zaynab:
Of course. The big question. Right? Yeah. Yeah.
Yassin:
So they analyzed all these studies to see if online learning led to real improvements
Zaynab:
Okay.
Yassin:
In things like a doctor's knowledge, their actual skills, even their attitude about learning and how satisfied they were with the whole experience.
Zaynab:
Interesting. So they looked at the whole picture there.
Yassin:
The whole picture.
Zaynab:
Not just, like, you know, are they retaining information, but are they enjoying it?
Yassin:
Exactly. Yeah. So no pressure online learning to potentially impact the future of health care.
Zaynab:
Right. Of course. Low stakes.
Yassin:
Exactly.
Zaynab:
Yeah.
Yassin:
So what did they discover? Were these virtual classrooms getting an a?
Zaynab:
Well, the results were a bit of a mixed bag.
Yassin:
Okay.
Zaynab:
Some studies showed online learning did lead to better knowledge and skills compared to, like, traditional methods.
Yassin:
Okay.
Zaynab:
But here's the catch.
Yassin:
Oh, there's always a catch.
Zaynab:
There's always a catch. Yeah. A similar number of studies showed basically no difference between online and traditional learning. Some doctors thrived in the online environment, while others didn't seem to benefit any more than they would from a lecture hall.
Yassin:
So it's not as simple as saying online learning is better. Right. Or it's all just hype.
Zaynab:
It's more nuanced than that for sure. And that's where the research, I think, gets really intriguing because while the jury's still out on those core skills, you know, the actual knowledge and skills Yeah. The study uncovered something pretty surprising about how doctors felt about learning online.
Yassin:
Okay. Now I'm really curious. Spill the tea.
Zaynab:
Yeah.
Yassin:
Were these doctors lamenting the loss of those comfy lecture hall seats? Or You
Zaynab:
are, like, missing those days.
Yassin:
Yeah. Were these doctors lamenting the loss of those comfy lecture hall seats? Or
Zaynab:
Actually, quite the opposite.
Yassin:
Really?
Zaynab:
Yeah. The review found that in many cases, doctors reported higher satisfaction with online learning compared to traditional methods.
Yassin:
Wait. Really more satisfied?
Zaynab:
Yeah.
Yassin:
I would not have seen that coming? Yeah. What's the deal there? Yeah. Were the online courses just more fun or what?
Zaynab:
Well, it's probably a little more nuanced than that. I mean, think about it. Doctors are busy people. Yeah.
Yassin:
Online learning offers a level of flexibility that is really hard to beat. You know? True. They can learn at their own pace on their own schedule Yeah. And squeeze it into those, like, precious moments between seeing patients.
Zaynab:
That makes a lot of sense. It's not like they can just, like, prop open a textbook during surgery and be like, hold on a sec. I've gotta brush up on my anatomy.
Yassin:
Exactly. Mhmm. So this higher satisfaction, you know, likely comes from the convenience and control online learning provides.
Zaynab:
Okay.
Yassin:
But here's the question this raises for future research.
Zaynab:
Okay.
Yassin:
Does that satisfaction actually translate into better learning outcomes?
Zaynab:
That's a good question.
Yassin:
Just because doctors enjoy the process doesn't automatically mean it's the most effective way to learn. Right? It's like how I enjoy, like, binge watching cooking shows. But my culinary skills are let's just say they haven't improved that much.
Zaynab:
Right. Exactly.
Yassin:
Yeah.
Zaynab:
It's enjoyable, but are you actually learning and retaining information? Right. And that brings us to, I think, another critical point highlighted in this review.
Yassin:
Okay.
Zaynab:
It exposed a significant gap in the current research on online medical education.
Yassin:
Oh, a gap. Tell me more.
Zaynab:
Yeah. What are we missing here?
Yassin:
Yeah.
Zaynab:
So this research, while extensive, didn't really delve into 2 crucial aspects
Yassin:
Okay.
Zaynab:
Patient outcomes and cost effectiveness. We don't yet have a clear picture of whether online learning actually translates into better care for patients
Yassin:
Okay.
Zaynab:
Or if it's a more cost efficient approach to medical education.
Yassin:
So we know some doctors are enjoying their online learning experience, but we don't know if it's actually making them better doctors in the long run.
Zaynab:
Right.
Yassin:
And we don't know if it's saving the health care system any money. Mhmm. This seems like a pretty big deal.
Zaynab:
It is a big deal, and it's something that anyone interested in this topic, like yourself, should be aware of.
Yassin:
Okay.
Zaynab:
This systematic review is a valuable piece of the puzzle Yeah. But it doesn't give us the full picture just yet.
Yassin:
Okay. So where do we go from here? Yeah. We've got this mixed bag of results.
Zaynab:
Right.
Yassin:
Some intriguing clues and some pretty big question marks.
Zaynab:
Sure.
Yassin:
How do we make sense of it all?
Zaynab:
That's the $1,000,000 question. Right. This study is so important, not because it gives us all the answers Mhmm. But because it highlights how much we still need to learn about online medical education.
Yassin:
So it's less of a finish line and more of a starting point.
Zaynab:
A 100%. Like, we're at the beginning of the journey, not the end.
Yassin:
Okay.
Zaynab:
And it underscores the need for more rigorous
Yassin:
Yeah.
Zaynab:
Targeted research moving forward.
Yassin:
Okay.
Zaynab:
We need studies that compare apples to apples. Ones that can give us, like, clearer answers about which methods of online learning work best
Yassin:
Yeah.
Zaynab:
And for whom.
Yassin:
It makes sense. Let's not jump to conclusions before we have all the evidence.
Zaynab:
Right.
Yassin:
What would those future studies look like if you were leading the charge?
Zaynab:
Oh, if I was queen of research Yes. What would be at the top of my research to do list?
Yassin:
What would those future studies look like if you were leading the charge?
Zaynab:
Oh, if I was queen of research
Yassin:
Yes.
Zaynab:
What would be at the top of my research to do list? Yes. Well, first things first. We need to get a lot clearer on what effective actually means in the context of online medical education.
Yassin:
Okay.
Zaynab:
Are we talking about whether a doctor remembers the information a week later?
Yassin:
Right.
Zaynab:
Or is it about how while they can perform a procedure in a real life situation?
Yassin:
Yeah.
Zaynab:
Maybe it's about whether their patients have better outcomes.
Yassin:
Right.
Zaynab:
We need to be crystal clear about what we're measuring and why.
Yassin:
So no more of these vague surveys asking doctors, did this online course make you a better doctor?
Zaynab:
Yeah.
Yassin:
We need cold hard data on specific skills and how those skills actually play out in the real world.
Zaynab:
A 100%.
Yassin:
Yeah.
Zaynab:
And we need to look at the long game too. Okay. Does online learning lead to lasting changes in how a doctor practices medicine?
Yassin:
Right.
Zaynab:
Or do those effects fade away after a while? These are the kinds of questions that will help us figure out if online medical education is truly the future of how doctors learn or if it's just a passing fad.
Yassin:
Okay. So better designed studies with laser focused outcomes. That makes a lot of sense. Yeah. But here's something that's been bugging me.
Zaynab:
Okay.
Yassin:
This entire study focus on the doctors. Right?
Zaynab:
Right.
Yassin:
What about the patients?
Zaynab:
Yeah.
Yassin:
Don't they have a say in how their doctors are learning?
Zaynab:
You hit the nail on the head. It's something that often gets overlooked in medical education research.
Yassin:
Yeah.
Zaynab:
We tend to put all of our focus on the doctors, but patient perspectives are incredibly valuable.
Yassin:
Right.
Zaynab:
How comfortable are patients with knowing their doctor might have learned a new surgical technique by watching a video online?
Yassin:
Right.
Zaynab:
Do they feel like they're getting the same quality of care? These are important questions we need answers to.
Yassin:
Right. I mean, I'm not saying it's necessarily a bad thing, but it's definitely something to think about.
Zaynab:
Absolutely. Yeah. And it brings us to something, I think, for you to ponder as we wrap up this deep dive today.
Yassin:
K.
Zaynab:
This review didn't even touch on how patients themselves could actually become part of the online medical education process. Imagine if patients were actively giving feedback on what they're learning or even participating in online simulations.
Yassin:
Wow. Wow.
Zaynab:
Could that lead to even better outcomes for everyone involved? It's a fascinating avenue for future research.
Yassin:
Wow. That's pretty mind blowing. We've gone from doctors learning solo in their pajamas to potentially having patients join the virtual classroom. The future of medical education is looking very different from those dusty old textbooks. That's for sure.
Zaynab:
Right. It's constantly evolved.
Yassin:
Well, that brings us to the end of our deep dive into the world of online medical education.
Zaynab:
Yeah. This has been really interesting.
Yassin:
We've explored the research, uncovered some surprising findings, and hopefully, given you a lot to think about.
Zaynab:
A lot to ponder.
Yassin:
Yes. For sure. Exactly.
Zaynab:
This is a field that's evolving at warp speed, and the research is still catching up. But by asking the right questions, Yeah. Designing more robust studies, and considering all perspectives, including those of the patients
Yassin:
Mhmm.
Zaynab:
We can help shape the future of online medical education in a way that benefits everyone.
Yassin:
Until next time. Keep those brains engaged. And remember, learning never stops even or maybe especially in the digital age.