Leveraging Technology and Gamification to Engage Learners in a Microbiology Curriculum in Undergraduate Medical Education

Abstract

Background Microbiology is a critical and expansive topic that many medical schools’ curriculum must teach in a constrained time frame. We implemented a microbiology question bank smart phone app enhanced with game elements and clinical pearls during a microbiology course for first-year medical students. We hypothesized that these enhancements and clinical pearls would engage the students meaningfully and increase their knowledge base. Methods Though use was optional, students’ game play was recorded through the app, which was compared to test grades retrospectively. A player efficiency rating (PER) was calculated as a function of question response, accuracy, and engagement. Students were separated into tertiles of PER and median exam grades were compared using a non-parametric Kruskal–Wallis (KW) test. An anonymous satisfaction and usability feedback survey was also administered. Results One hundred eighty-one of the 189 students (96%) answered at least one question, and 165 (87%) completed all 56 questions. The average PER was 84.75. We received feedback surveys from 61 (34%) students in the course, with positive responses regarding the perceived impact on learning microbiology. The KW test found a positive correlation for median exam scores of the player groups when divided into tertiles by PER (p = 0.0002). Conclusions We leveraged gamification and clinical pearls to design a supplemental microbiology question bank. We found high engagement overall and higher class exam scores associated with greater use of the question bank.

Game-based learning in medical education

“…The application of gamification in microbiology course is a breakthrough and an innovative attempt. By exploiting a supplemental question bank that integrates game elements and clinical pearls, Walker et al explored the effectiveness of gamification in microbiology teaching (47). In brief, the question bank resembles "tutor mode" to deliver and provide content, and students need to answer related questions to obtain the score.…”

“…The composite measures include questions answered, their accuracy, and the time of response of players. This gamification design leads to higher class exam scores and increases students' basic knowledge (47). In addition, the utilization of checkerboard games also fosters the learning process and students' cognition in microbiology courses (48).…”

Livogena: The Ikteros Curse—A Jaundice Narrative Card and Board Game for Medical Students

“… 4 The concept of gamification or game-based learning in medicine has facilitated collaborative learning resulting in higher knowledge retention and improved performance on examinations. 5 – 7 In addition, the component of storytelling that enables the learner to visualize, process information, and remember content learned by generating such scenes can also be implemented in medical education. 8 …”