Education Research: Teaching Neurologic Emergencies Through Serious Games: A Randomized Comparative Intervention Study

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Game-Based Learning
• Neurology

Background:

• Serious games (SGs) are increasingly utilized in education, yet their specific impact on neurology training remains under-explored.
• Limited data exist on the efficacy of SGs in enhancing knowledge retention and learner experience within neurology.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of a novel digital interactive serious game (SG) in neurology education.
• To assess the impact of SGs on knowledge retention, decision-making perception, and learner satisfaction in medical students.

Main Methods:

• A randomized intervention study was conducted, comparing a video simulation-based SG with traditional clinical case seminars and a control group.
• Knowledge retention was measured using multiple-choice tests administered immediately and three weeks post-instruction.
• Learner satisfaction, usability, and qualitative feedback were collected as secondary outcomes.

Main Results:

• The SG group demonstrated significantly less knowledge decay (4.1%) over three weeks compared to seminar groups (10.9% and 5.5%).
• Immediate post-instruction scores were comparable across groups, but long-term retention favored the SG.
• Students in the SG group reported higher satisfaction, improved usability, and a significant reduction in fear of clinical emergencies (93.5%).

Conclusions:

• Video-based serious games are effective tools for teaching neurologic emergency medicine.
• Knowledge acquired through SGs is more durable than traditional methods and is well-received by Generation Z learners.
• SGs offer a promising approach to enhance medical education by improving knowledge retention and student confidence.