Implementation and evaluation of an optimized surgical clerkship teaching model utilizing ChatGPT

Objective: This study aims to explore the effect of an innovative teaching model incorporating ChatGPT on medical students’ learning outcomes, compliance with learning activities, and overall satisfaction with the learning process. Methods: A cohort of 64 students participating in general surgery clerkships at Wenzhou People’s Hospital during the 2022–2023 academic year were randomly assigned into 4 groups, each comprising 16 students. Two of these groups were designated as the study group, where ChatGPT was employed as a supplementary educational tool. The remaining 2 groups served as control groups and used traditional multimedia-based learning methods. Outcomes, including learning effectiveness, compliance, and satisfaction, were evaluated using questionnaires and tests. Results: The study groups exhibited significantly higher levels of compliance and satisfaction compared to the control groups. Specifically, the study groups exhibited significantly greater compliance in both pre-class preparation and post-class review activities (P < 0.05). During classroom teaching, Group 1 of the study group achieved significantly higher compliance than the control groups (P < 0.0001), while Group 2 of the study group showed significantly higher compliance than Group 1 (P < 0.001). In terms of seeking feedback and assistance, both Groups 1 and 2 of the study group had significantly higher compliance compared to Group 1 of the control group (P < 0.01, P < 0.001 respectively). Overall satisfaction was significantly higher in the study groups compared to the control groups (P < 0.0001), particularly with respect to course organization (P < 0.001, P < 0.05). Conclusion: The incorporation of ChatGPT into the surgical clerkship teaching model substantially enhances learner compliance and satisfaction, offering notable advantages in educational effectiveness. © The Author(s) 2024.