J Educ Eval Health Prof.  2019;16:7. 10.3352/jeehp.2019.16.7.

An expert-led and artificial intelligence system-assisted tutoring course to improve the confidence of Chinese medical interns in suturing and ligature skills: a prospective pilot study

• Yang YY
• Shulruf B

• KMID: 2447242
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3352/jeehp.2019.16.7

Abstract

PURPOSE
Lack of confidence in suturing/ligature skills due to insufficient practice and assessments is common among novice Chinese medical interns. This study aimed to improve the skill acquisition of medical interns through a new intervention program.
METHODS
In addition to regular clinical training, expert-led or expert-led plus artificial intelligence (AI) system tutoring courses were implemented during the first 2 weeks of the surgical block. Interns could voluntarily join the regular (no additional tutoring), expert-led tutoring, or expert-led+AI tutoring groups freely. In the regular group, interns (n=25) did not receive additional tutoring. The expert-led group received 3-hour expert-led tutoring and in-training formative assessments after 2 practice sessions. After a similar expert-led course, the expert-led+AI group (n=23) practiced and assessed their skills on an AI system. Through a comparison with the internal standard, the system automatically recorded and evaluated every intern's suturing/ligature skills. In the expert-led+AI group, performance and confidence were compared between interns who participated in 1, 2, or 3 AI practice sessions.
RESULTS
The end-of-surgical block objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) performance and self-assessed confidence in suturing/ligature skills were highest in the expert-led+AI group. In comparison with the expert-led group, the expert-led+AI group showed similar performance in the in-training assessment and greater improvement in the end-of-surgical block OSCE. In the expert-led+AI group, the best performance and highest post-OSCE confidence were noted in those who engaged in 3 AI practice sessions.
CONCLUSION
This pilot study demonstrated the potential value of incorporating an additional expert-led+AI system-assisted tutoring course into the regular surgical curriculum.

Keyword

Artificial intelligence; Suturing and ligature skills; Tutoring course; Taiwan

MeSH Terms

Artificial Intelligence*
Asian Continental Ancestry Group*
Curriculum
Humans
Ligation*
Pilot Projects*
Prospective Studies*
Taiwan

Figure

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  Fig. 1. (A–D) Photo of the AI assessment/training system for suturing/ligature skills and images of medical interns practicing.

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  Fig. 2. Schematic diagram of the schedule for trainings and assessments of the regular, expert-led tutoring, and expert-led+AI tutoring groups. AI, artificial intelligence; OSCE, objective structured clinical examination.

Reference

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