Computer-assisted learning compared with weekly seminars for teaching fundamental electrocardiography to junior medical students.

Abstract

This study was designed to assess whether a self-study interactive computer program is more effective than weekly seminars for teaching fundamental skills of electrocardiographic interpretation to junior medical students. Forty-two students were assigned to the computer and 41 to the seminar group. A test was given to each participant at the beginning and end of each rotation. The computer group used a computer-assisted learning program, and the seminar group met weekly with a cardiologist to review electrocardiograms. Attendance at a minimum of 80% of the seminars or completion of 80% of the computer-assisted learning program was required for inclusion in the statistical analysis. The mean difference in test scores before and after study was 5.69 for the computer group and 4.36 for the seminar group (P less than .02 by one-tailed t-test). These results indicate that the computer group performed significantly better than the seminar group. We believe this difference to be educationally important.