Abstract
INTRODUCTION/AIMS
We designed an interactive web module to improve medical student competence in screening and interventions for hazardous drinking. We assessed its impact on performance with a standardized patient (SP) vs. traditional lecture.
SETTING
First year medical school curriculum.
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The web module included pre/posttests, Flash©, and text didactics. It centered on videos of two alcohol cases, each contrasting a novice with an experienced physician interviewer. The learner free-text critiqued each clip then reviewed expert analysis.
PROGRAM EVALUATION
First year medical students conveniently assigned to voluntarily complete a web module (N = 82) or lecture (N = 81) were rated by a SP in a later alcohol case. Participation trended higher (82% vs. 72%, p < .07) among web students, with an additional 4 lecture-assigned students crossing to the web module. The web group had higher mean scores on scales of individual components of brief intervention (assessment and decisional balance) and a brief intervention composite score (1–13 pt.; 9 vs. 7.8, p < .02) and self-reported as better prepared for the SP case.
CONCLUSIONS
A web module for alcohol use interview skills reached a greater proportion of voluntary learners and was associated with equivalent overall performance scores and higher brief intervention skills scores on a standardized patient encounter.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Ruiz JG, Mintzer MJ, Leipzig RM. The impact of E-learning in medical education. Acad Med. 2006;81(3):207–12.
Wyatt SA, Dekker MA. Improving physician and medical student education in substance use disorders. J Am Osteopath Assoc. 2007;107(9 Suppl 5):ES27–38.
Bernstein E, Bernstein J, Feldman J, et al. An evidence based alcohol screening, brief intervention and referral to treatment (SBIRT) curriculum for emergency department (ED) providers improves skills and utilization. Subst Abuse. 2007;28(4):79–92.
Saitz R, Helmuth ED, Aromaa SE, Guard A, Belanger M, Rosenbloom DL. Web-based screening and brief intervention for the spectrum of alcohol problems. Prev Med. 2004;39(5):969–75.
Frost-Pineda K, VanSusteren T, Gold MS. Are physicians and medical students prepared to educate patients about alcohol consumption? J Addict Dis. 2004;23(2):1–13.
Miller NS, Sheppard LM, Colenda CC, Magen J. Why physicians are unprepared to treat patients who have alcohol- and drug-related disorders. Acad Med. 2001;76(5):410–8.
Hulsman RL, Ros WJ, Winnubst JA, Bensing JM. The effectiveness of a computer-assisted instruction programme on communication skills of medical specialists in oncology. Med Educ. 2002;36(2):125–34.
Letterie GS. Medical education as a science: the quality of evidence for computer-assisted instruction. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2003;188(3):849–53.
Kalet AL, Pugnaire MP, Cole-Kelly K, et al. Teaching communication in clinical clerkships: models from the Macy initiative in health communications. Acad Med. 2004;79(6):511–20.
Kalet AL, Coady SH, Hopkins MA, Hochberg MS, Riles TS. Preliminary evaluation of the Web Initiative for Surgical Education (WISE-MD). Am J Surg. 2007;194(1):89–93.
Grunwald T, Corsbie-Massay C. Guidelines for cognitively efficient multimedia learning tools: educational strategies, cognitive load, and interface design. Acad Med. 2006;81(3):213–23.
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Helping Patients Who Drink Too Much: A Clinician’s Guide, Updated 2005 Edition. NIH Publication No. 07–3769; 2007.
Zabar S, Hanley K, Kachur E, et al. “Oh! She doesn’t speak English!” Assessing resident competence in managing linguistic and cultural barriers. J Gen Intern Med. 2006;21(5):510–3.
Zabar S, Hanley K, Stevens DL, et al. Measuring the competence of residents as teachers. J Gen Intern Med. 2004;19(5 Pt 2):530–3.
McLaughlin K, Gregor L, Jones A, Coderre S. Can standardized patients replace physicians as OSCE examiners? BMC Med Educ. 2006;6:12.
Acknowledgments
This study was supported by a Health Research Service Award, HRSA 12-191-1077.
Conflict of Interest
Drs. Lee and Gourevitch receive extramural grant support from Cephalon and Alkermes Inc.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Lee, J.D., Triola, M., Gillespie, C. et al. Working with Patients with Alcohol Problems: A Controlled Trial of the Impact of a Rich Media Web Module on Medical Student Performance. J GEN INTERN MED 23, 1006–1009 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11606-008-0557-5
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11606-008-0557-5