ABSTRACT #2

CONTINUING DEVELOPMENT OF STAR MEDICAL STUDENTS: ONGOING LEARNINGS WITH ADDITIONAL EXPERIENCE FROM THE STROKE, THROMBECTOMY, AND REVASCULARIZATION NEXUS COURSE

Emma Loebel, Daniella Sisniega, Desiree Markantone, Laura Stein

PURPOSE AND GOALS: Stroke is a leading cause of disability and death worldwide yet insufficient medical education on the condition exists. To address this educational gap, we developed an online elective course called Stroke, Thrombectomy, and Revascularization (STaR) for any medical trainee to gain exposure to the field of vascular neurology, learn the basics of stroke, and increase interest in neurology. We sought to assess the ongoing effectiveness of the course in its second year, after modification based on our first year experience.

METHODS: The first year of the course included eight one and a half hour sessions from March-April 2021. To try to appeal to a larger audience and increase retention rate, the second year of the course was condensed to five one and a half hour sessions from February-March 2022. The study team led each session over Zoom and incorporated a variety of teaching methods including visual slide content, interactive cases, and a stroke simulation.

EVALUATION PLAN: Identical 10-question pre-/post-tests were administered on the first and last day of t he course in the first and second years to assess knowledge gain. Learner satisfaction was assessed by end-of-session surveys, administered after each class, and an exit survey on the final day of the course. All questionnaires were voluntary and anonymous and administered electronically via RedCap.

SUMMARY OF RESULTS: In 2022, responses totaled 11 for the pre-test, 5 for the post-test, 26 for end-ofsession surveys, and 5 for the exit survey. The average pre-test and post-test score was 5.9/10 and 6.8/10 (p=0.31).

Across 5 lectures, participants rated the quality as either excellent (n=20, 77%) or very good (n=6, 23%). In free response regarding the most helpful aspects of the lectures, participants mostly commonly mentioned review of basic concepts, slide content and the interactive nature with incorporation of cases and question polls.

In the exit survey, all (n=5, 100%) indicated that the course helped build their understanding of stroke and stated they were likely to recommend the course to colleagues. Participants ranked six key learning modalities, and lecture presentations and interactive cases were both the most well-liked. Almost all indicated that the course increased their interest in neurology (n=4, 80%), with one person neutral.

REFLECTIVE

CRITIQUE:

In the second year of our elective stroke course, we condensed the material to encourage more participants and better retention. Similar to the first year, retention rate from pre-test to posttest was approximately 50% retention. Learner perceptions of lecture quality remained high in the condensed format but objective knowledge gain did not reach statistical significance with the small sample in year two. We continue to hone our teaching methods based on participant feedback and hope to expand the course to a larger audience.