Assessing the Impact of Video-based Training on Laceration Repair: A Comparison to the Traditional Workshop Method

Medical school curricula in the United States have been more recently focusing on the early integration of clinical experiences for medical students in the pre-clinical years. Historically, live workshop training has been the common mode of instruction for teaching the procedural skill of laceration repair. Unfortunately, this educational method requires a significant amount of physical resources and physician time to train the students. This study compares the effectiveness of video-based learning (VBL) to traditional live workshop learning (LWL) on student laceration repair performance. Methods: Forty first-year medical students with no prior experience with suturing and laceration repair were randomized into two groups: VBL and LWL. The students' competency for laceration repair was evaluated at two assessment times (7 days and 77 days post-training) using a 22-point Suture Task Checklist. Results: For the first assessment, 36 students were evaluated. The LWL group (n=17) scored a mean of 18.4 (SD 1.8, 95%CI 17.6-19.3); while the VBL group (n=19) scored a mean of 18.1 (SD 1.8, 95%CI 17.3-19.0) (p value 0.646). For the delayed assessment, 31 students were evaluated. The LWL (n=15) scored a mean of 17.8 (SD 2.5, 95%CI 16.6-19.1); while the VBL group (n=16) score a mean of 17.8 (SD 2.5, 95%CI 16.6-19.0) (p value 0.9824). Discussion: Medical students often utilize shadowing experiences, simulation labs, and live workshops to develop procedural skills such as laceration repair that will better prepare themselves for their clinical rotations. Many of these group experiences require a tremendous amount of planning and resources, such as physician educator time, physical space, practice materials, and live tissues. The results of this study suggest that video-based learning can be as effective as live workshop training. The implementation of accessible video-based learning into pre-clinical medical education may be a cost-effective way to teach students procedural skills. While video-based learning serves as a promising educational tool, some limitations to this mode of learning include limited interaction with physician mentors and lack of instructor feedback. © 2015 by the article author(s).