Investigating the effect of an educational mobile application on the learning of medical interns in the general surgery ward

Background: This study aimed to determine the effect of using mobile phone-based educational aid software on the learning rate of medical interns in the general surgery department.Method: This study was conducted on two groups of ۷۰ general medicine interns in the general surgery department during two ۸-month periods. The first and second group was educated using traditional and application-based method, respectively.Results: The mean±SD age of the participants were ۲۴.۷۱ ± ۳.۱۹ and ۲۵.۲۵ ± ۲.۰۷ years for the app-based group and the traditional group, respectively. There were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of age (P = ۰.۲۴۷) or gender (P = ۰.۱۷۵). The score of the basic science test (App-group: ۱۲۴.۵۹ ± ۲۶.۵۶ vs. Traditional group: ۱۱۹.۰۶ ± ۱۶.۰۲) and the score of the pre-internship test (App-group: ۱۲۲.۰۶ ± ۲۲.۱۲ vs. Traditional group: ۱۲۰.۱۶ ± ۱۶.۱۳) did not show a significant difference between the intervention and control groups (P =۰.۱۳۹, P =۰.۵۶۲). Still, the time elapsed since the internship in the intervention group (۸.۴۶ ± ۳.۴۶ months) was significantly more than the control group (۶.۲۹ ± ۴.۱۰ months, P=۰.۰۰۱). A significant increase in the post-test score was found in both groups (P<۰.۰۰۱). There was no significant difference regarding the pre-test results (P=۰.۷۳۱); however, the post-test score was significantly higher in the intervention group compared to the controls (P<۰.۰۰۱).Conclusion: This study showed that training based on mobile software can be an effective role in training program's medical intern in general surgery department.

کلیدواژه ها:

Educational Technology ، General Surgery ، Medical education