title: Can online learning adequately prepare medical students to undertake a first female pelvic examination?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether a novel web-based learning module could adequately prepare first-year undergraduate medical students to skilfully perform their first female pelvic examination.
  
  
  METHODS
  First-year Queen's University medical students without prior training or experience in female pelvic examination were recruited for this study. After viewing key segments of the learning module, students were evaluated while performing a pelvic examination on a female volunteer using a standardized assessment checklist (total score = 30 points). Descriptive and comparative statistics were generated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Forty-five students participated with a mean age of 24 years (range 20 to 40). The mean score (±SD) on the assessment checklist was 23.9 ± 3.6 points, (range 17 to 30). All study participants received a passing grade of ≥ 50% (15/30 points), and 53.3% (24/45) received an honours grade of ≥ 80% (24/30 points). Of the participants, 88.9% (40/45) agreed that they were well prepared for their first female pelvic examination after viewing the training video. Mean scores were similar for male students (23.9, n = 22) and female students (23.8, n = 23) (P = 0.90, t test). Mean scores were not higher in those who watched key segments of the learning module more than once.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This learning module viewed immediately prior to a simulated clinic session afforded first-year medical students the necessary knowledge and skills to perform a first female pelvic examination. This was accomplished with as little as one viewing, and could lead to savings in organizational costs and instruction time for medical school curricula.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Queen's University, Kingston ON.
authors.forename: Ruth
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ronn
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Queen's University, Kingston ON.
authors.forename: Whitney
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Queen's University, Kingston ON.
authors.forename: Bryden
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Magee
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Queen's University, Kingston ON.
authors.forename: Philip M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Hahn
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Queen's University, Kingston ON.
authors.forename: Robert L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Reid
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003194:Computer-Assisted Instruction; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D058869:Gynecological Examination; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D008297:Male; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult