Abstracts

Rationale: The flipped classroom is rapidly gaining popularity in medical education. In the flipped model, concepts are reviewed prior to class, and class time is used for more interactive problem solving. Still, evidence is limited in graduate medical education. This project applies the flipped classroom to teaching epilepsy monitoring unit competencies. Methods: A group of medical students and neurology residents at Temple University Hospital were selected for this research. Participants were asked to read pre-class material consisting of EMU guidelines. Participants were placed into small groups to discuss cases during the classroom session. Participants completed a pretest and posttest before and after the classroom session. These test questions included: demographic information, opinions about flipped classrooms, and content questions to assess learning. The posttest assessed participants’ self-perceived active learning, flipped classroom efficacy, and preference for flipped classrooms. Responses to questions were graded on a five-point Likert scale. Results: A total of 20 medical students and residents participated in the flipped classroom. Training of the participants ranged from MS3 to PGY4. Response rates for the pretest and posttest were 90% and 70% respectively. 78% of respondents had completed the pre-classroom assignment prior to class. Participants demonstrated greater learning following the flipped classroom with average scores of 59% versus 90% on the content portions of the pretest and posttest respectively. Posttest surveys indicated that participants thought that the flipped classroom encouraged active learning (5/14 agree, 6/14 strongly agree). Most reported that their questions were better clarified (5/14 agree, 7/14 strongly agree) and that they retained information better (6/14 agree, 5/14 strongly agree). Most participants also indicated that they prefer the flipped classroom to the traditional classroom format (6/14 agree, 3/14 strongly agree) and that the flipped classroom should be used more frequently for neurology conferences (4/14 agree, 5/14 strongly agree). Interestingly, the flipped classroom may be a useful tool to encourage residents as teachers with most participants reporting increased peer-to-peer teaching (3/14 agree, 9/14 strongly agree). Conclusions: Flipped classrooms show promise for augmenting the traditional neurology conference curriculum. Residents and medical students reported both flipped classroom efficacy and preference. Future directions include study following a larger curriculum change with increased use of flipped classrooms.  Further study of the use of the flipped classroom is needed to fully assess its educational value in neurology and adequately compare it to the traditional lecture format.  Funding: None