Research
Education
Improving medical student knowledge of female pelvic floor dysfunction and anatomy: a randomized trial

Presented at the Annual Meeting of the Council on Resident Education in Obstetrics and Gynecology and the Association of Professors of Gynecology and Obstetrics, San Diego, CA, March 11-14, 2009.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajog.2009.08.038Get rights and content

Objective

The objective of the study was to estimate the effect of an interactive computer trainer on improving medical student knowledge and attitudes regarding female pelvic anatomy (PA) and pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD).

Study Design

Forty-three students were randomized to the trainer and usual teaching vs usual teaching alone. Pre- and postintervention knowledge and attitude questionnaires were completed. Between-group pre- and postintervention scores were analyzed. Multiple linear regression was used to estimate trainer effect on scores, adjusting for confounders.

Results

There was no difference in baseline scores between groups (P > .05). The trainer group had significantly higher postintervention knowledge (mean score, 15.6 ± 1.9 vs 12.6 ± 2.5; P = .007) and attitude (mean score, 19.2 ± 2.8 vs 15.8 ± 3.2; P = .001) scores compared with the usual teaching group. On multiple linear regression, the trainer group had significantly higher postintervention knowledge and attitude scores, after adjusting for year of medical education and prior clerkships.

Conclusion

An interactive computer trainer to teach female PA and PFD improves medical student knowledge and attitudes.

Section snippets

Materials and Methods

We conducted a prospective, randomized, controlled trial of medical students at Alpert Medical School of Brown University (Providence, RI) who were rotating through their obstetrics and gynecology clerkship from November 2007 to May 2008. Our student population rotating through obstetrics and gynecology includes both third- and fourth-year students.

Students at our institution may delay completion of core clerkships until their fourth year to complete elective rotations based on their interests.

Results

After randomization, the first 2 clerkships of the study period were randomized to usual teaching and the second 2 clerkships were randomized to the intervention. Forty-three students were enrolled in the study (21 randomized to intervention; 22 randomized to usual teaching). All students completed participation and pre- and postintervention questionnaires. All students randomized to the trainer were able to complete all modules during their trainer session, and the time needed to complete the

Comment

The field of female pelvic floor disorders, whose foundation rests on the basic framework of pelvic anatomy, is becoming increasingly important as our population ages. We developed a novel, computer-based learning trainer that improves both knowledge and attitudes of medical students regarding female PFD and PA and can be easily integrated into an obstetrics and gynecology clerkship curriculum.

As learners begin to fall into the net generation group, teaching formats need to change to meet

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank the Association of Professors of Gynecology and Obstetrics for awarding the authors the APGO/Abbott Medical Education Grant to fund the completion of the Pelvic Trainer and the Division of Educational Informatics and the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the New York University School of Medicine, who supported initial development of the pelvic trainer. We also thank John Qualter and the staff at Biodigital for the creation of the pelvic trainer.

References (14)

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Cited by (19)

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    A common opportunity for educational research arises from the implementation of a novel teaching tool to improve either knowledge or clinical skills. Hampton and Sung15 sought to determine the effect of an interactive computer trainer on knowledge and attitudes of medical students regarding female pelvic anatomy and pelvic floor dysfunction. This research question follows the PICOT format, with the exception of defining a study time frame.

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    In this context as well, students will remember more when using animated movies as compared to lessons enriched with images as illustrations (Bernardo, 2003). The integration of such multimedia applications in the curriculum of veterinary students seems to improve medical knowledge about diagnosis and management in equine obstetrics as has been shown with a similar educational project in human medical education (Hampton & Sung, 2010). Equine obstetrics presents an instructional challenge due to the complex nature of the knowledge domain.

  • Resident Education and Training in Female Sexuality: Results of a National Survey

    2011, Journal of Sexual Medicine
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    Prior reports suggest that computer‐based learning augments traditional books and lectures. Hampton et al. reported findings of a randomized controlled trial in which an interactive computer trainer improved medical students' knowledge and attitudes regarding female pelvic floor dysfunction and anatomy [10]. The National Institute of Health Consensus Conference in 1993 presented a Statement on Impotence which reported that most healthcare professionals are either uninformed or misinformed about sexual problems and, therefore, fail to address them [11].

  • Female Pelvic Floor Immersive Simulation: A Randomized Trial to Test the Effectiveness of a Virtual Reality Anatomic Model on Resident Knowledge of Female Pelvic Anatomy

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    In fact, residents reported that the VR model improved understanding in all areas of pelvic anatomy, except for pelvic vasculature. Similar to our findings, Hampton and Sung [2] reported no differences in postintervention anatomic knowledge scores between resident groups undergoing exposure to a computer-based virtual pelvis trainer over a 1-month period; however, residents also perceived that their knowledge of pelvic anatomy and of female pelvic floor disorders was improved. Garg et al [10] reported no advantage to medical student learners’ anatomic knowledge when given improved spatial perspectives using a computer-based model.

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This study was supported in part by the 2007 Association of Professors of Gynecology and Obstetrics/Abbott Medical Education Program Award.

Reprints not available from the authors.

Cite this article as: Hampton BS, Sung VW. Improving medical student knowledge of female pelvic floor dysfunction and anatomy: a randomized trial. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2010;202:601.e1-8.

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