title: A comparison of computer-assisted instruction and small-group teaching of cardiac auscultation to medical students.
abstract: Cardiac auscultation is suffering from declining interest, caused by competing diagnostic technology and inadequate training of doctors. Computer-assisted instruction (CAI) supporting graphics and digitized sound could be ideally suited for teaching and sharpening this skill. To evaluate this premise we randomized 35 third-year medical students to 3 hours of seminar teaching plus the use of audiotapes (group 1), the self-use of a MacIntosh-based CAI (group 2), or both (group 3). All students took a pre- and post-test consisting of eight pre-recorded cardiac events and were also assessed for computer anxiety. Although there were no significant differences between pre- and post-tests for each group and among groups, group 1 had a 4.5% deterioration in its diagnostic score compared to the 7.2% and 3.2% improvements of groups 2 and 3 respectively. Group 2 used the CAI significantly more than group 3. We conclude that CAI is at least as effective as seminars in teaching cardiac auscultation to third-year medical students.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Medical College of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia 19129.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mangione
authors.forename: L Z
authors.initials: LZ
authors.lastname: Nieman
authors.forename: L W
authors.initials: LW
authors.lastname: Greenspon
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Margulies
mesh_terms: D002983:Clinical Competence; D003194:Computer-Assisted Instruction / Q000379:methods*; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate; D006326:Heart Auscultation; D006801:Humans; D015143:Philadelphia; D013663:Teaching / Q000379:methods*