Implementation of a Longitudinal Multimodal ECG Curriculum using Residents and Near-Peer Educators
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Introduction
Electrocardiographic interpretation is an essential clinical competency but its proficiency is estimated at only 60% amongst internal medicine and emergency medicine residents. A recommended multimodal approach to electrocardiographic teaching includes longitudinal electrocardiographic exposure, near-peer teaching, vector-based interpretation, emphasis on common misinterpretations, clinical exposure, and novel teaching methods. Whether a longitudinal, asynchronous curriculum using residents as near-peer teachers can improve proficiency is uncertain.
Research Question
Does a resident-led, multimodal asynchronous electrocardiographic curriculum improve performance among internal medicine house-staff?
Methods
A total of 169 internal medicine house-staff at a single tertiary medical center were sent weekly emails containing a containing a preview electrocardiogram, video lesson, and relevant practice and learning points. Videos were created by second or third-year residents with cardiology faculty and posted on YouTube. To evaluate curriculum efficacy, we emailed residents a 14-item multiple-choice midterm assessment that tested respondents on electrocardiographic topics, including covered topics and not-yet-introduced material as controls. We compared the likelihood of correct responses to covered vs uncovered material in multivariable generalized estimating equation models with a logit link, adjusting for interest in cardiology and year of residency, with response correctness as the binary outcome for each item. We report odds ratios (ORs) and associated 95% confidence intervals (CIs).
Results
Video view counts declined over time, dropping from 171 to 19 instances from the first to last video. A total of 26 respondents (15.4%) completed the midterm assessment. Participants performed better on covered than uncovered topics (OR 1.66, 95% CI [1.07, 2.57]), but this association was similar among participants who did and did not report watching any videos (p interaction = 0.78).
Conclusions
A resident-led, multimodal ECG curriculum can be successfully developed, but low midterm assessment participation limited our ability to draw definitive conclusions about effectiveness. Declining engagement over time suggests that frequent email-based delivery may contribute to email fatigue and reduced participation. Future iterations should focus on enhancing engagement through alternative delivery methods, such as in-person or hybrid formats, and aim to increase participation to better assess effectiveness.
