Results

At the start of the study, 54 students had consented to

participate. After a detailed analysis of the participation

log, a total of 20 students had completed the study in its

entirety. The graph below (Figure 4) illustrates the overall

63% drop in participating from the start and end of the

study

Figure 4: Participation from start to end.

Using SPPS T-tests and Univariate analysis of Variance,

overall comparison of VF and A group performance

showed little difference in improvement from pre to post

test scores. Comparing all four groups, VF3 improved the

most while VF7 improved the least. However, this data

was not statistically significant. The graph below shows

the average (Avg) pre to post test improvements (learning

retention) for each of the four groups.

Figure 5: Comparison of pre to post test

improvements for (learning retention)

The graph below shows that 79.3% (n=23) of students

preferred VF over reading EBM article alone. Only 20.7%

of students did not prefer VF.

Figure 6: Shows student preference to VF over reading

alone.

Kristine Smith, Alina Kravtsova, Juan Cendan, M.D., Michael Eakins College of Medicine, University of Central Florida, March 2012

Comparison of UCF COM Virtual Family Simulation Experience or reading evidence based medicine article as a learning tool

Acknowledgments

Thank you to Alina Kravtsova (usability data), Michael

Eakins, Juan Cendan M.D., METIL, and IST for the

development and delivery of VF..

Contact email: kristine.smith@knights.ucf.edu

References

1. Education AIfIM. Effective Use of Educational

Technology in Medical Education Colloquium on

Educational Technology: Recommendations and

Guidelines for Medical Educators. March 2007.

2. Pruthi S, Gostout BS, Lindor NM. Identification and

Management of Women with BRCA Mutations or

Hereditary Predisposition for Breast and Ovarian Cancer.

Mayo Clin Proc. Dec;85(12):1111-1120.

Aim

Objectives

The main goals of this pilot study were: 1) compare Virtual

Family to reading Evidence Based Medicine (EBM) article

as a learning tool for long term patient management, and

2) to gauge usability of Virtual Family. The results of the

study would lead us closer to the ultimate goal of

incorporating all five virtual family members developing

conditions in sync with the UCF COM curriculum.

Research Questions

1. Does the Virtual Family simulation experience

improve retention as compared with reading?

2. Do medical students prefer Virtual Family simulation

experience over reading EBM article alone?

3. Does the Virtual Family simulation experience

improve instructional condition efficiency (learning) as

compared with reading alone?

Introduction

Figure 1: Snap shot of Virtual Family

• The Virtual Family (VF) is a longitudinal educational

simulation program to be integrated into the UCF COM

four year curriculum.

• First year medical students will be responsible for the care

and management of a five member virtual patient family

who will develop several conditions over time.

• This study focuses on one case for the Mom who is at

high risk for breast cancer and needs a proper treatment

plan.

• Majority of medical schools across the country incorporate

early clinical exposure into curriculums through

preceptorship and clinical skills centers which most often

include Harvey and Standardized Patients (SPs).

• Medical students are arriving to their clerkships and

residencies more prepared and experienced for clinical

practice and learning.

Current problems: • However, these common staples of clinical exposure lead

to unavoidable disjunctive isolation.

• The fundamental question is, “…when to employ

technology during the medical education process and how

best to use it when it is employed?”1

Solution: • VF addresses this gap by providing medical students with

patients they will interact with and be responsible for throughout their four years in medical school.

Method

• Content for Virtual Family (VF) breast cancer screening

case for the Mom, “Linda Smith,” created by medical

student researchers.

• Content includes items such as: clinical vignette, patient

history, history taking, physical exam, lab ordering,

radiology, evidence based medicine article, pre-test,

post-test, within case questions and feedback.

• The web interface for VF, “Reality Medicine” developed

by UCF IST METIL.

• Evidence Based Medicine (EBM) article related to

breast cancer screening was chosen to represent

traditional reading assignment at medical schools

across the country2.

• Questions were created for pre and post tests and

came directly from this article.

• The purpose of the pre-test is to establish baseline

knowledge for each individual student, and the group

as a whole, while post-test (same questions) allows us

to compare student performances before and after the

study.

• Usability questionnaire created by IST gauges usability

and students’ overall impression of the program.

• Study delivered to first year UCF COM Class of 2015.

Group Assignments: 1. Virtual Family 3 days (VF3)-

Pre-test >EBM article >VF breast cancer screening

case >post-test/usability survey three days later.

2. Virtual Family 7 days (VF7)-

Pre- test > EBM article > VF breast cancer screening

case > post- test/ usability survey seven days later.

3. Article 3 days (A3)-

Pre- test > EBM article > post- test three days later.

Also given access to VF at the same time as VF3 and

VF7 to allow comparison of learning experiences.

4. Article 7 days (A7)-

Pre- test > EBM article > post- test seven days later.

Also given access to VF at the same time as VF3 and

VF7 to allow comparison of learning experiences.

Figure 2: Snap shot of VF breast cancer screening case

Conclusions

• Data collected is not statistically significant, it can neither

support nor undermine the hypothesis.

• As a whole VF learned (improve their test score)

approximately the same as Article group.

• Article group as a whole fared better with the decay of

time (retention) than VF.

• Content developed for breast cancer screening case will

serve as the template for future content development of

the other VF cases.

• Participation was the largest obstacle in this study.

Future studies will be of shorter duration and equal times

for all groups.

• Number of emails led to confusion, less emails and more

guidance within web interface will be used.

• Sample cases will be developed as tutorial in effort to

reduce confusion.

79.30%

20.70%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

YES NO

Do you prefer VF over reading article alone?

Figure 3: Overview of study schedule

3 days

7 days 0%

20%

40%

VF A P

ost-

pre

tes

t A

vg

.

sc

ore

s

Learning Retention

54

20

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Start End

# o

f P

art

icip

an

ts

Total Participation

Drop by 63%