A team-based competition for undergraduate medical students to learn radiology within the virtual world Second Life

• Published in: Insights into imaging 2021-06, Vol.12 (1), p.89-89, Article 89
• Main Authors: Rudolphi-Solero, Teodoro, Jimenez-Zayas, Alberto, Lorenzo-Alvarez, Rocio, Domínguez-Pinos, Dolores, Ruiz-Gomez, Miguel Jose, Sendra-Portero, Francisco
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Competition; Diagnostic Radiology; Education; Exposure; Game-based learning; Games; Imaging; Internal Medicine; Interventional Radiology; Learning; Load tests; Medical education; Medical students; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Multiple choice; Neuroradiology; Original; Original Article; Radiology; Students; Ultrasound; Virtual reality; Virtual worlds
• ISSN: 1869-4101; 1869-4101
• DOI: 10.1186/s13244-021-01032-3

Background A multi-user competitive game within the virtual world Second Life for undergraduate radiology learning was adapted for team participation. This study aimed to assess student perception, impact on learning, and eventual correlation of game results with post-exposure tests and course grades. Methods The game consisted of six weekly stages, dedicated to thoracic, abdominal, and musculoskeletal radiological anatomy and semiology. Participants had several days a week to review self-guided radiology educational content and then complete individual multiple-choice tests and solve team tasks to progress through the game's ranking. Additionally, they completed a cognitive load test, a questionnaire about the experience and a post-exposure knowledge test. Results Fifty-two students organised into 13 teams participated in the game and assessed different aspects of the experience with a mean score ≥ 7.8 on a 10-point scale, highlighting the participation of the teacher (9.3 ± 1.1), the educational contents (8.8 ± 1.4) and the usefulness for their education (8.7 ± 1.4). Participants obtained better post-exposure test results ( p