The efficacy of a computer-assisted preoperative tutorial for clinical clerks.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the effectiveness of computer-assisted preoperative tutorials on human anatomy in improving the operating-room learning experience for clinical clerks.


METHODS
Crossover trials with immediate assessment and approximately 1-week delay between trials.


METHODS
General surgery operating room of a university teaching hospital.


METHODS
Eight 4th-year clinical clerks on a single 8-week surgical rotation.


METHODS
The senior surgeon's assessment of the clerk's knowledge and understanding of the operation, according to a six-item questionnaire, and the clerk's own assessment of the experience in the operating room, according to an eight-item questionnaire.


RESULTS
Surgeons rated the clerks' performances in the operating room as better when they had received the preoperative tutorial (mean [and standard deviation], 3.7 [0.4]) than when they had not received the preoperative tutorial (3.0 [0.3]). The difference (0.7 [0.6]) was statistically significant (t7 = 3.3, p < 0.01). Similarly, clerks rated their own experience more positively when they had received the tutorial (4.0 [0.2]) than when they had not (3.1 [0.3]), with the difference (0.9 [0.5]) being statistically significant (t7 = 4.9, p < 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
Short, preoperative, computer-assisted tutorials on human anatomy can have a positive impact on the clerk's level of knowledge and confidence in the operating room. Further research is warranted into the extent to which students spontaneously make use of these tutorials.
Hong
D
D
Toronto Hospital, Ont.
Regehr
G
G
Reznick
R K
RK
D000715:Anatomy / Q000193:education*; D002982:Clinical Clerkship / Q000379:methods*; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003194:Computer-Assisted Instruction / Q000379:methods*; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004521:Educational Measurement; D013502:General Surgery / Q000193:education*; D006801:Humans; D015397:Program Evaluation; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires