title: Blinded randomized controlled study of a web-based otoscopy simulator in undergraduate medical education.
abstract: OtoTrain is a Web-based otoscopy simulator that has previously been shown to have face and content validity. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of this Web-based otoscopy simulator in teaching diagnostic otoscopy to novice learners STUDY DESIGN: Prospective, blinded randomized control trial.
  
  
  
  Second-year medical students were invited to participate in the study. A pretest consisted of a series of otoscopy videos followed by an open-answer format assessment pertaining to the characteristics and diagnosis of each video. Participants were then randomly divided into a control group and a simulator group. Following the pretest, both groups attended standard otology lectures, but the simulator group was additionally given unlimited access to OtoTrain for 1 week. A post-test was completed using a separate set of otoscopy videos. Tests were graded based on a comprehensive marking scheme. The pretest and post-test were anonymized, and the three evaluators were blinded to student allotment.
  
  
  
  A total of 41 medical students were enrolled in the study and randomized to the control group (n = 20) and the simulator group (n = 21). There was no significant difference between the two groups on their pretest scores. With the standard otology lectures, the control group had a 31% improvement in their post-test score (mean ± standard error of the mean, 30.4 ± 1.5) compared with their pretest score (23.3 ± 1.8) (P < .001). The simulator group had the addition of OtoTrain to the otology lectures, and their score improved by 71% on their post-test (37.8 ± 1.6) compared to their pretest (22.1 ± 1.9) (P < .001). Comparing the post-test results, the simulator group had a 24% higher score than the control group (P < .002). Inter-rater reliability between the blinded evaluators was excellent (r = 0.953, P < .001).
  
  
  
  The use of OtoTrain increased the diagnostic otoscopic performance in novice learners. OtoTrain may be an effective teaching adjunct for undergraduate medical students.
  
  
  
  1b. Laryngoscope, 127:1306-1311, 2017.
authors: Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada.
authors: Camilla
authors: C
authors: Stepniak
authors: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada.
authors: Brandon
authors: B
authors: Wickens
authors: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada.
authors: Murad
authors: M
authors: Husein
authors: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada.
authors: Josee
authors: J
authors: Paradis
authors: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada.|Department of Medical Biophysics, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada.|Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada.|Biomedical Engineering Graduate Program, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada.
authors: Hanif M
authors: HM
authors: Ladak
authors: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada.
authors: Kevin
authors: K
authors: Fung
authors: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada.|Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada.
authors: Sumit K
authors: SK
authors: Agrawal
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003198:Computer Simulation; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate / Q000379:methods*; D004521:Educational Measurement; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D008297:Male; D013506:Otologic Surgical Procedures / Q000193:education* / Q000379:methods; D038781:Otoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D000066908:Simulation Training / Q000379:methods*; D016037:Single-Blind Method
keywords: Otoscopy; acute otitis media; diagnosis; medical education; otitis media with effusion; simulation; tympanic membrane; virtual reality