title: Integrating the ACR Appropriateness Criteria Into the Radiology Clerkship: Comparison of Didactic Format and Group-Based Learning.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to determine whether group-based or didactic teaching is more effective to teach ACR Appropriateness Criteria to medical students.
  
  
  METHODS
  An identical pretest, posttest, and delayed multiple-choice test was used to evaluate the efficacy of the two teaching methods. Descriptive statistics comparing test scores were obtained.
  
  
  RESULTS
  On the posttest, the didactic group gained 12.5 points (P < .0001), and the group-based learning students gained 16.3 points (P < .0001). On the delayed test, the didactic group gained 14.4 points (P < .0001), and the group-based learning students gained 11.8 points (P < .001). The gains in scores on both tests were statistically significant for both groups. However, the differences in scores were not statistically significant comparing the two educational methods.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Compared with didactic lectures, group-based learning is more enjoyable, time efficient, and equally efficacious. The choice of educational method can be individualized for each institution on the basis of group size, time constraints, and faculty availability.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, New York. Electronic address: mstein17@aol.com.
authors.forename: Marjorie W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Stein
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, New York.
authors.forename: Susan J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Frank
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, New York.
authors.forename: Jeffrey H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, New York.
authors.forename: Malka
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Finkelstein
authors.affiliation: Epidemiology and Population Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York.
authors.forename: Moonseong
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Heo
mesh_terms: D002982:Clinical Clerkship; D003479:Curriculum; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate / Q000379:methods*; D004521:Educational Measurement / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011871:Radiology / Q000193:education*; D013663:Teaching; D014481:United States
keywords: ACR Appropriateness Criteria; American College of Radiology; didactic lectures; educational; group-based learning; imaging; radiology