The Great Escape… From Boring Medical Education!
Welcome, dear readers, to a world where medical education has a dash of fun—a pinch of cheeky! Forget about your traditional lectures that feel about as engaging as watching paint dry. Today, we embark on an adventure through the University of Oslo’s innovative approach to teaching medical students. Buckle up; it’s going to be a bumpy, hilarious ride!
A Class with a Twist (or Should We Say, a Lock?)
So, what’s cooking at the Faculty of Medicine? An obligatory small group class, no less! For 5th-year medical students, this is their chance to ditch the drab and dive into engaging small groups of 3–5—how quaint! These groups are not the kind you’d find at a bingo night; they are set in stone at the start of the semester and timetabled for all teaching sessions—yes, on the calendar, folks!
But fear not! This isn’t your grandma’s classroom (unless grandma’s a gynecologist). No randomization nonsense here—just two groups, an escape room adventure, and the thrill of discovering whether “Team A” or “Team B” can figure out how to deal with a—gasp—pregnancy! And did I mention there’s not even a need for ethical committee approval? Because nothing says “safe space” like being strictly anonymous in an educational setting!
Sneaky Learning Objectives – A Game of Skill and Knowledge
Now, let’s talk about the game involved. Imagine this: students shadowing a gynecologist and immersing themselves in hands-on learning before tackling their real test—can they escape from a room filled with educational puzzles? Forget standardized tests; we have the “escape room”!
The learning objectives are cleverly woven into this game, which doesn’t shy away from making students sweat a little (and possibly panic). Learning to measure fetal lengths on a mannequin under time pressure? Now that’s multitasking! And teamwork? You’d better believe that even the best of friendships could unravel under a countdown timer. Moments of joy! Moments of despair!
Puzzles, Props, and Puns – Oh My!
With props more creative than a magician’s hat, this escape room setup has everything from a baby monitor (to keep an eye on those future doctors) to a mannequin that’s evidently had a rough day. The stage is set in a simulated gynecological outpatient room, complete with faux patient journals that give new meaning to “fictitious”! Who knew learning could come equipped with such clever distractions?
And let’s not forget the complexity of puzzles—their interconnection rivals anything you’d find in a Paul Auster novel! From the blastocyst puzzle to the CRL puzzle, these savvy students have no choice but to band together to decode their way to academic salvation. I wonder if anyone has ever bravely tried to escape alone… That’s a cruel game with a painful outcome, just like forgetting the plot twist in a well-loved thriller!
Student Reactions – Survey Says!
Of course, you can’t implement a fabulous new teaching technique without seeing how the “lab rats”—I mean students—feel about it. Enter the 14-item questionnaire, which did its job of gathering insights on various aspects of the escape room experience.
Did they enjoy it? Would they recommend it? Did they feel their teamwork skills had gone from awkward pandemonium to synchronized bliss? Let’s hope they aren’t shy about their responses, because if there’s one thing we know, it’s that education without feedback is like a joke without a punchline—it just falls flat!
The Test of Knowledge: Escape Room Edition
To wrap things up, we come to the final exam of sorts—the knowledge test post-escape room. Imagine answering questions while your heart’s still racing from your previous challenge! This test didn’t even focus specifically on the escape room’s haunts but rather on broader knowledge of reproductive and early pregnancy management. Talk about a plot twist!
The true question remains: did the escape room make these future physicians smarter or just better at running around? Only time (and test scores) will tell! Will this become a staple of medical education, or remain the “quirky cousin” nobody wants to bring to formal family functions? This, my friends, is the thrilling cliffhanger of medical training!
Conclusion: A Fresh Breath for Medical Education!
In all seriousness, combining small group teaching with a gamified learning experience like an escape room might just be the breath of fresh air medical education desperately needs. It’s engaging, promotes teamwork, and you know, keeps future doctors awake and actively learning—what a novel idea!
So let’s raise a toast—to educational innovations that ensure future healthcare professionals are not just book-smart but also equipped with the teamwork and hands-on skills needed for that ever-intriguing journey into medicine. Here’s hoping escape rooms are just the beginning of a trend that adds a touch of cheekiness into our curriculum!
Educational Context and Study Design
The obligatory small group class in Reproductive and Emergency Medicine (REI) was a crucial component of the undergraduate curriculum specifically designed for 5th-year medical students at the esteemed Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo. At the onset of the semester, permanent cohorts consisting of 3 to 5 students were established and scheduled for all instructional sessions together. This study was crafted as a non-randomized, retrospective analysis comparing two distinct groups in a posttest-only framework to evaluate the efficacy of traditional small group teaching versus an innovative approach where small group instruction was augmented with an escape room experience. Notably, the calculation of statistical power was not performed prior to the study. In adherence to Norwegian regulations set forth by the Agency for Shared Services in Education and Research, the students’ personal data remained unprocessed, and the strictly anonymous nature of this research nullified the requirement for ethical committee approval.
Small Group Class
The students were assigned to prepare in advance for the class, exploring the REI website that offered an array of texts, videos, podcasts, and textbook chapters pertinent to the planned activities. The class commenced with clinical rounds, providing each student the invaluable opportunity to shadow a gynecologist within the outpatient clinic for a two-hour session. Each student participated in transvaginal ultrasound examinations, gaining hands-on insights, while many also engaged in consultations regarding early pregnancy. Subsequently, the groups reconvened to partake in either traditional case discussions over two semesters or the innovative escape room game accompanied by a debriefing session over the following three semesters.
Development of the Game
Utilizing a generic escape room framework, the game was meticulously developed with the foundational principles of educational gaming at its core, particularly focusing on the integration of defined learning objectives with the overarching game objectives. The outlined learning objectives were designed to ensure a profound and practical educational experience. Among the core objectives were: students were required to review clinical records and effectively perform an ultrasound examination of pelvic organs on a training mannequin, precisely assessing the fetal crown-rump length (CRL), and recognizing clinical, biochemical, and ultrasonographic indicators of early intrauterine pregnancy (IUP) while calculating gestational age using multiple cues.
Moreover, students needed to demonstrate a professional attitude during clinical examinations and exhibit proficient teamwork under time constraints. Based on these learning objectives, a series of clinically relevant puzzles were crafted and carefully woven into a compelling game narrative. Initial drafts of the game underwent rigorous testing in trial sessions, enabling the refinement of the storyline, elucidation of the rules, consideration of physical elements, and adjustment of the challenge level to marry with the educational goals, while extraneous distractions were eliminated.
Implementation of the Escape Room Game
Comprehensive instructions detailing the setup for the game—including prop sourcing, a gamemaster’s script, and fictitious patient journals—are available in the supplemental online material. In essence, the game was orchestrated within a dedicated gynecological outpatient room. Essential equipment such as a gynecological examination chair, ultrasound scanner with transvaginal transducer, and a gestational wheel were temporarily borrowed from the clinic. Props specifically acquired for the game included a medical dictionary, an intrauterine pregnancy training mannequin, a document safe featuring a digital lock, a countdown timer with a large LED display, and a baby monitor equipped with a camera.
In addition, students received an envelope containing a welcome letter and a puzzle related to the safe code, alongside a tear-off calendar, three fictitious patient journals, and an address book housing a telephone number puzzle. The gestational wheel and the address book were secured within the locked document safe, while other items were discreetly placed throughout the room. Prior to commencing the escape room game, the gamemaster meticulously arranged all props and clinical items within the room, creating an engaging and immersive educational environment.
Student Responses
Students were encouraged to complete a 14-item questionnaire designed to gauge their satisfaction with the class, assess the quality of teamwork as per the Jefferson Teamwork Observation Guide, and evaluate the new knowledge they acquired, while also permitting suggestions for enhancements. The University of Oslo provided a secure and anonymous webform service for this purpose. A detailed analysis of the quantitative questionnaire data employed descriptive statistics to summarize findings. Open-text responses were subjected to thematic analysis, following Braun and Clarke’s reflexive approach. This investigation culminated in a comprehensive set of codes that marked segments of text, illuminating insights related to anatomy, physiology, practical clinical skills, and various aspects of teamwork.
Test of Knowledge
In conjunction with the small group instruction, all students participated in a non-obligatory plenary session focused on REI during the semester. As an integral component of this session, students individually completed a test featuring 20 multiple-choice questions, encompassing a broad spectrum of knowledge related to REI that did not target specific themes from the small group class or the escape room game. This plenary session was strategically scheduled mid-semester, allowing some students to engage in the small group class before participating. To assess the impact of the small group instruction on declarative knowledge, test scores from students who had undergone the class (exposed) were juxtaposed against those of their peers who had not yet attended (control). The resultant effect size was articulated through Cohen’s d, thereby indicating the effectiveness of the pedagogical interventions employed.
How does participation in escape rooms enhance students’ teamwork and collaboration skills in medical education?
Nts’ reactions to the escape room experience were gathered through a structured questionnaire that aimed to assess various dimensions of their learning outcomes and emotional engagement. The 14-item survey included Likert scale questions as well as open-ended prompts allowing for qualitative feedback. Key areas of interest encompassed enjoyment of the escape room format, perceived value in terms of teamwork and collaboration, and self-reported enhancements in clinical skills and knowledge retention.
Preliminary analysis indicated that the majority of students found the escape room to be an invigorating, enjoyable experience that fostered camaraderie. Many reported an increased motivation to engage with the learning material, attributing this shift to the gamified, problem-solving environment of the escape room. However, some students expressed concerns about the balance between fun and educational rigor, bringing up challenges in focusing on critical learning objectives amid the high-energy, entertaining format.
while most students appreciated the creative approach, it sparked discussion about whether such methods can effectively complement traditional educational techniques without undermining academic integrity or depth of comprehension.
Future Directions
The positive student feedback and engagement demonstrated during the escape room implementation suggest a promising future for integrating gamified experiences in medical education. Building upon the initial success, the faculty plans to refine the escape room challenges, align them more closely with learning objectives, and possibly introduce variations tailored to different clinical scenarios other than reproductive medicine.
Further research is also recommended to quantify the impact on knowledge retention and practical skills, and to explore the long-term effects of such immersive learning experiences. Evaluating these game-based interventions across different medical disciplines may reveal broader applications that can innovate teaching methods not only in medical education but across various fields of study.
Ultimately, the adventure into educational gaming represents a refreshing challenge to conventional methods, inviting future generations of healthcare professionals to learn in ways that are not only effective but also memorable and enjoyable. If laughter and learning can coexist in the same space, with a dash of good-natured competition, then the future of medical education looks exceedingly bright.
