@Article{info:doi/10.2196/60755,
author="Bloomfield, Lauren
and Boston, Julie
and Masek, Martin
and Andrew, Lesley
and Barwood, Donna
and Devine, Amanda",
title="Evaluating the Efficacy of a Serious Game to Deliver Health Education About Invasive Meningococcal Disease: Clustered Randomized Controlled Equivalence Trial",
journal="JMIR Serious Games",
year="2025",
month="Feb",
day="11",
volume="13",
pages="e60755",
keywords="serious games",
keywords="meningococcal disease",
keywords="immersive digital applications",
keywords="health promotion",
keywords="gaming",
keywords="meningitis",
keywords="infection",
keywords="bacteria",
keywords="contagious",
keywords="infectious",
keywords="immersive",
keywords="education",
keywords="mHealth",
keywords="mobile health",
keywords="applications",
keywords="youth",
keywords="adolescents",
abstract="Background: Invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) is a serious, vaccine-preventable infectious disease that can be life-threatening. Teaching adolescents about the early detection and prevention of IMD can be challenging in a school environment, with educators reporting they lack confidence or expertise to cover this in the classroom environment. Professional guest educators are an alternative to cover specialist topics such as IMD; however, time and resourcing constraints can mean that these educators are not always available. Serious games may be an alternative to face-to-face education, where complex health information may be delivered via self-directed gameplay. Objective: This study aims to develop a serious game that can replace a face-to-face educator in a classroom setting to educate adolescents aged 12 years to 15 years. This study evaluates the efficacy of the Meningococcal Immunisation Awareness, Prevention and Protection app (MIApp), a serious game designed to replicate the information provided in a 30-minute face-to-face presentation provided by a trained educator. Methods: This clustered, randomized controlled equivalence trial involved students (Years 7-10) from 6 secondary schools across metropolitan Western Australia who completed pre- and postintervention questionnaires with a follow-up at 3 months postintervention to measure the primary outcome of IMD knowledge acquisition following this self-guided intervention. The findings were compared with changes in an active control (comparison) group who received an in-class educational presentation about IMD transmission and protection. A questionnaire was developed to assess 9 key areas of knowledge. Median scores for knowledge pre- and postintervention were collected from a self-administered assessment of this questionnaire and, at 3 months postintervention, were compared between groups. A knowledge score of +/--2/16 was determined a priori to meet the criteria for equivalence. Participants who used MIApp were also asked a series of questions to assess the enjoyment of and engagement with the game. Results: Of the 788 participating students, the median postintervention correct score in both the MIApp and control cohorts was 14/16 (87.5\% correct responses), compared with the median pre-intervention correct score of 6/16 (37.5\% correct responses), representing a significant (P<.001) increase in IMD knowledge in both groups. Improvements were retained in both groups 3 months after the initial intervention (median correct score: 11/16 in the intervention group; 12/16 in the control group; P=.86), demonstrating the efficacy of MIApp to deliver health education about IMD transmission and protection, although response rates in the follow-up cohort were low (255/788, 32.4\%). Conclusions: MIApp met the predetermined threshold for equivalence, demonstrating similar improvements in knowledge posttrial and at the 3-month follow-up. Participating adolescents considered the MIApp game more enjoyable than a presentation, with equivalent improvements in knowledge. Serious games could represent a constructive tool to help teachers impart specialized health education. ",
doi="10.2196/60755",
url="https://games.jmir.org/2025/1/e60755",
url="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/39932769"
}


@Article{info:doi/10.2196/63887,
author="Burisch, Christian
and Bellary, Abhav
and Breuckmann, Frank
and Ehlers, Jan
and Thal, C. Serge
and Sellmann, Timur
and G{\"o}dde, Daniel",
title="ChatGPT-4 Performance on German Continuing Medical Education---Friend or Foe (Trick or Treat)? Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial",
journal="JMIR Res Protoc",
year="2025",
month="Feb",
day="6",
volume="14",
pages="e63887",
keywords="ChatGPT",
keywords="artificial intelligence",
keywords="large language model",
keywords="postgraduate education",
keywords="continuing medical education",
keywords="self-assessment program",
abstract="Background: The increasing development and spread of artificial and assistive intelligence is opening up new areas of application not only in applied medicine but also in related fields such as continuing medical education (CME), which is part of the mandatory training program for medical doctors in Germany. This study aimed to determine whether medical laypersons can successfully conduct training courses specifically for physicians with the help of a large language model (LLM) such as ChatGPT-4. This study aims to qualitatively and quantitatively investigate the impact of using artificial intelligence (AI; specifically ChatGPT) on the acquisition of credit points in German postgraduate medical education. Objective: Using this approach, we wanted to test further possible applications of AI in the postgraduate medical education setting and obtain results for practical use. Depending on the results, the potential influence of LLMs such as ChatGPT-4 on CME will be discussed, for example, as part of a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) analysis. Methods: We designed a randomized controlled trial, in which adult high school students attempt to solve CME tests across six medical specialties in three study arms in total with 18 CME training courses per study arm under different interventional conditions with varying amounts of permitted use of ChatGPT-4. Sample size calculation was performed including guess probability (20\% correct answers, SD=40\%; confidence level of 1--$\alpha$=.95/$\alpha$=.05; test power of 1--$\beta$=.95; P<.05). The study was registered at open scientific framework. Results: As of October 2024, the acquisition of data and students to participate in the trial is ongoing. Upon analysis of our acquired data, we predict our findings to be ready for publication as soon as early 2025. Conclusions: We aim to prove that the advances in AI, especially LLMs such as ChatGPT-4 have considerable effects on medical laypersons' ability to successfully pass CME tests. The implications that this holds on how the concept of continuous medical education requires reevaluation are yet to be contemplated. Trial Registration: OSF Registries 10.17605/OSF.IO/MZNUF; https://osf.io/mznuf International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID): PRR1-10.2196/63887 ",
doi="10.2196/63887",
url="https://www.researchprotocols.org/2025/1/e63887"
}


@Article{info:doi/10.2196/52533,
author="Vallabhajosyula, Ranganath
and Perumal, Vivek
and Chandrasekaran, Ramya
and Mogali, Reddy Sreenivasulu",
title="Preuniversity Students' Perceptions and Attitudes About an Anatomy and Physiology Outreach Program: Survey Study and Inductive Thematic Analysis",
journal="JMIR Form Res",
year="2024",
month="Aug",
day="12",
volume="8",
pages="e52533",
keywords="anatomy",
keywords="physiology",
keywords="educational outreach",
keywords="preuniversity outreach",
keywords="team-based learning",
keywords="anatomy workshop",
keywords="medical education",
keywords="health profession education",
keywords="health professions",
keywords="health care careers",
keywords="student",
keywords="students",
keywords="outreach activity",
keywords="physiological",
keywords="school",
keywords="university",
keywords="Singapore",
keywords="thematic analysis",
keywords="learning",
keywords="education",
keywords="motivation",
keywords="health care",
keywords="health profession",
keywords="medical school",
abstract="Background: Science and health outreach activities are aimed at motivating and sparking interest among prospective students to pursue careers in these fields; however, research studies supporting this hypothesis are limited. Objective: The aim of our study was to organize an integrated Anatomy and Physiology outreach to examine preuniversity students' learning experiences (learning tools, activities, and facilitators) and motivation to pursue a career in health care and to gather evidence on their attitudes and perceptions of such activities. Methods: A 2-day course on cardiorespiratory and gastrointestinal anatomical systems was presented at the Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine in Singapore using its key pedagogies, that is, multimodal practical and team-based learning. Ninety preuniversity students from 21 preuniversity institutions in Singapore participated in this 2-day course, and their experiences were evaluated using a 4-point Likert scale and open-ended survey questions. Free-text comments were analyzed using inductive thematic analysis. Results: The survey using the 4-point Likert scale was completed by 81 (92\%) of the 88 participants. Most students felt that the course materials were adequate (mean 3.57, SD 0.57) and met the learning objectives (mean 3.73, SD 0.52). The students felt that the instructors were clear (mean 3.73, SD 0.52) and effective (mean 3.70, SD 0.53). They liked the organization of the outreach session (mean 3.64, SD 0.48) and were highly motivated to study medicine or allied/biomedical sciences (mean 3.69, SD 0.54). Practical and team-based learning were regarded as exceedingly satisfactory (mean 3.63, SD 0.53 and mean 3.58, SD 0.54, respectively). All the respondents said that they would recommend this course to peers. Thematic analysis revealed that the participants gained a new perspective of the human body structure and function, they liked the unique learning settings, they were motivated to pursue a career in health care, they were satisfied with the sessions, and interactions with the facilitators increased their understanding of the human anatomy and physiology. Conclusions: Structured health outreach activities provide students with unique opportunities to experience a preclinical learning environment in a medical school, deepen their understanding of human body structure and function, and increase their motivation and interest in science. Further, outreach programs may lay the foundations for potential students aiming to pursue health profession education. ",
doi="10.2196/52533",
url="https://formative.jmir.org/2024/1/e52533"
}


@Article{info:doi/10.2196/33090,
author="Srivastava, Ujwal
and Price, Amy
and Chu, F. Larry",
title="Effects of a 2-Week Remote Learning Program on Empathy and Clinical and Communication Skills in Premedical Students: Mixed Methods Evaluation Study",
journal="JMIR Med Educ",
year="2021",
month="Oct",
day="27",
volume="7",
number="4",
pages="e33090",
keywords="empathy",
keywords="clinical skills",
keywords="communication skills",
keywords="high school",
keywords="undergraduate",
keywords="summer program",
keywords="premedical program",
keywords="remote learning",
abstract="Background: Expressing empathy builds trust with patients, increases patient satisfaction, and is associated with better health outcomes. Research shows that expressing empathy to patients improves patient adherence to medications and decreases patient anxiety and the number of malpractice lawsuits. However, there is a dearth of research on teaching empathy to premedical students. The Clinical Science, Technology, and Medicine Summer Internship of Stanford Medicine (also called the Stanford Anesthesia Summer Institute) is a 2-week collaborative medical internship for high school and undergraduate students to inspire learners to be compassionate health care providers. The summer 2020 program was adapted to accomplish these objectives in a fully remote environment because of the COVID-19 global pandemic. Objective: This study aims to measure the change in empathy and competencies of participants in clinical and communication skills before and after program participation. Methods: A total of 41 participants completed only the core track of this program, and 39 participants completed the core + research track of this program. Participants in both tracks received instructions in selected clinical skills and interacted directly with patients to improve their interviewing skills. Research track participants received additional instructions in research methodology. All participants completed web-based pre- and postsurveys containing Knowledge and Skills Assessment (KSA) questions. Participant empathy was assessed using the validated Consultation and Relational Empathy measure. A subset of participants completed optional focus groups to discuss empathy. The pre- and post-KSA and Consultation and Relational Empathy measure scores were compared using paired 2-tailed t tests and a linear regression model. Open-ended focus group answers were then analyzed thematically. Results: Participants in both tracks demonstrated significant improvement in empathy after the 2-week remote learning course (P=.007 in core track; P<.001 in research track). These results remained significant when controlling for gender and age. A lower pretest score was associated with a greater change in empathy. Participants in both tracks demonstrated significant improvement in KSA questions related to surgical skills (P<.001 in core track; P<.001 in research track), epinephrine pen use (P<.001 in core track; P<.001 in research track), x-ray image interpretation (P<.001 in core track; P<.001 in research track), and synthesizing information to solve problems (P<.001 in core track; P=.05 in research track). The core track participants also showed significant improvements in health communication skills (P=.001). Qualitative analysis yielded 3 themes: empathy as action, empathy as a mindset, and empathy in designing health care systems. Conclusions: Summer internships that introduce high school and undergraduate students to the field of health care through hands-on interaction and patient involvement may be an effective way to develop measurable empathy skills when combined with clinical skills training and mentorship. Notably, increases in empathy were observed in a program administered via a remote learning environment. ",
doi="10.2196/33090",
url="https://mededu.jmir.org/2021/4/e33090",
url="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/34704956"
}


@Article{info:doi/10.2196/16392,
author="Ogunleye, Christianah
and Farnan, M. Jeanne
and Martin, K. Shannon
and Tanksley, Audrey
and Ngooi, Samantha
and Venable, Ruth Laura
and Anderson, Samantha
and Marte, Jhonatan
and Meltzer, O. David
and Arora, M. Vineet",
title="A Peer-Led Social Media Intervention to Improve Interest in Research Careers Among Urban Youth: Mixed Methods Study",
journal="JMIR Med Educ",
year="2020",
month="May",
day="14",
volume="6",
number="1",
pages="e16392",
keywords="pipeline programs",
keywords="minorities",
keywords="underrepresented minorities",
keywords="adolescents",
keywords="teens",
keywords="social media",
keywords="peer led\emspace",
abstract="Background: Novel methods to boost interest in scientific research careers among minority youth are largely unexplored. Social media offers a unique avenue toward influencing teen behavior and attitudes, and can therefore be utilized to stimulate interest in clinical research. Objective: The aim of this study was to engage high-achieving minority youth enrolled in a science pipeline program to develop a targeted social media marketing campaign for boosting interest in clinical research careers among their peers. Methods: Students enrolled in the Training Early Achievers for Careers in Health program conducted focus groups in their communities to inform themes that best promote clinical research. They then scripted, storyboarded, and filmed a short video to share on social media with a campaign hashtag. Additionally, each student enrolled peers from their social circle to be subjects of the study. Subjects were sent a Career Orientation Survey at baseline to assess preliminary interest in clinical research careers and again after the campaign to assess how they saw the video, their perceptions of the video, and interest in clinical research careers after watching the video. Subjects who did not see the video through the online campaign were invited to watch the video via a link on the postsurvey. Interest change scores were calculated using differences in Likert-scale responses to the question ``how interested are you in a career in clinical research?'' An ordinal logistic regression model was used to test the association between watching a peer-shared video, perception of entertainment, and interest change score controlling for underrepresented minorities in medicine status (Black, American Indian/Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian, or Pacific Islander), gender, and baseline interest in medical or clinical research careers. Results: From 2014 to 2017, 325 subjects were enrolled as part of 4 distinct campaigns: \#WhereScienceMeetsReality, \#RedefiningResearch, \#DoYourResearch, and \#LifeWithoutResearch. Over half (n=180) of the subjects watched the video via the campaign, 227/295 (76.9\%) found the video entertaining, and 92/325 (28.3\%) demonstrated baseline interest in clinical research. The ordinal logistic regression model showed that subjects who viewed the video from a peer (odds ratio [OR] 1.56, 95\% CI 1.00-2.44, P=.05) or found the video entertaining (OR 1.36, 95\% CI 1.01-1.82, P=.04) had greater odds of increasing interest in a clinical research career. Subjects with a higher baseline interest in medicine (OR 1.55, 95\% CI 1.28-1.87, P<.001) also had greater odds of increasing their interest in clinical research. Conclusions: The spread of authentic and relevant peer-created messages via social media can increase interest in clinical research careers among diverse teens. Peer-driven social media campaigns should be explored as a way to effectively recruit minority youth into scientific research careers. ",
doi="10.2196/16392",
url="http://mededu.jmir.org/2020/1/e16392/",
url="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/32406859"
}