- 期刊
- OpenAccess
Enhancing Respiratory Auscultation Skills among Medical Students: A Randomized Controlled Trial on the Integration of Digital Stethoscopes in Medical Education
摘要
Background: Respiratory auscultation remains a fundamental skill in medical diagnostics, though proficiency among trainees has been reported to decline. With the advent of digital health technologies, there is potential to enhance educational outcomes in auscultation pedagogy. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of incorporating digital stethoscopes into the respiratory auscultation curriculum for medical students and to assess its impact on auscultation proficiency. Methods: In a single-center, randomized controlled trial, 84 medical students undergoing clinical clerkship rotations were allocated to either an intervention group receiving training with digital stethoscopes or a control group with traditional instruction. The intervention utilized digital stethoscopes for the visualization and analysis of recorded breath sounds. Auscultation skills were assessed pre-and post-intervention using a question bank of 50 breath sound audio files. Student feedback on teaching quality was also collected. Results: Both groups exhibited significant improvements in auscultation skills post-intervention, with the intervention group's median scores increasing from 30 to 40 (median improvement: 10 points) and the control group from 30 to 55 (median improvement: 20 points). However, the difference in score improvement between the groups was not statistically significant (p = 0.539). Over 77% of the students rated the course as "helpful" or "very helpful." The intervention highlighted a potential for digital stethoscopes to reinvigorate clinical skills training, although usability concerns were noted. Conclusions: Integrating digital stethoscopes into respiratory auscultation curricula has the potential to enhance medical education by offering a new dimension to clinical skills training. Both traditional and technology-enhanced methods were effective in improving auscultation proficiency among medical students. Addressing usability issues and optimizing the digital experience is crucial for maximizing educational outcomes. Further research is needed to refine digital tools for auscultation pedagogy and explore their application across other domains of medical education.