Case-based e-learning to improve the attitude of medical students towards occupational health, a randomised controlled trial.
OBJECTIVE
Undergraduate medical teaching in occupational health (OH) is a challenge in universities around the world. Case-based e-learning with an attractive clinical context could improve the attitude of medical students towards OH. The study question is whether case-based e-learning for medical students is more effective in improving knowledge, satisfaction and a positive attitude towards OH than non-case-based textbook learning.


METHODS
Participants, 141 second year medical students, were randomised to either case-based e-learning or text-based learning. Outcome measures were knowledge, satisfaction and attitude towards OH, measured at baseline, directly after the intervention, after 1 week and at 3-month follow-up.


RESULTS
Of the 141 participants, 130 (92%) completed the questionnaires at short-term follow-up and 41 (29%) at 3-month follow-up. At short-term follow-up, intervention and control groups did not show a significant difference in knowledge nor satisfaction but attitude towards OH was significantly more negative in the intervention group (F=4.041, p=0.047). At 3-month follow-up, there were no significant differences between intervention and control groups for knowledge, satisfaction and attitude.


CONCLUSIONS
We found a significant decrease in favourable attitude during the internship in the experimental group compared with the control group. There were no significant differences in knowledge or satisfaction between case-based e-learning and text-based learning. The attitude towards OH should be further investigated as an outcome of educational programmes.
Coronel Institute of Occupational Health, Academic Medical Centre, University of Amsterdam, P.O. Box 22700, 1100 DE Amsterdam, The Netherlands. p.b.smits@amc.nl
P B A
PB
Smits
L
L
de Graaf
K
K
Radon
A G
AG
de Boer
N R
NR
Bos
F J H
FJ
van Dijk
J H A M
JH
Verbeek
D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002983:Clinical Competence; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency; D008297:Male; D009426:Netherlands; D016272:Occupational Health / Q000193:education*; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D018794:Problem-Based Learning / Q000379:methods*; D013337:Students, Medical; D055815:Young Adult