A Comparison Between Video-Assisted Teaching (VAT) and Traditional Teaching (TT) Methods on Knowledge and Confidence Level on Performing Focus Assessment with Sonography for Trauma (FAST) Among Final Year Medical Students in Emergency Department Teaching

Abstract

Introduction: In response to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, many

universities switched from face-to-face teaching to alternative forms of

delivery without jeopardizing the quality of teaching and learning due to

lockdown. Our study aims to discover the alternative way of teaching

ultrasound among medical students and uses Focused Assessment with

Sonography in Trauma (FAST) as an example of training. Methods: A

prospective interventional study was conducted involving 100 final-year

medical students. The study’s primary endpoint was to compare the level

of knowledge and confidence pre- and post-workshop of FAST scan

among medical students who received Video-Assessed Teaching (VAT)

versus those who received Traditional Teaching (TT). Results: Our

study showed a significant improvement in knowledge and confidence

after the workshop. There was a significant mean difference between

pre- and post-workshop for both knowledge and confidence among both

groups (VAT and TT) (P <0.001). However, the two groups had no

significant mean difference in knowledge and confidence levels (P

>0.050). It was noticed from students’ responses that 31% preferred the

hands-on session, 28% preferred bedside teaching, while few preferred

lectures and videos, with 20% and 18%, respectively. Conclusion: VAT

is non-inferior compared to TT in terms of knowledge and confidence in

training ultrasound among undergraduate students. Thus, VAT can be

considered an alternative method of teaching during a pandemic

outbreak, with certain limitations.