Comparison of Educational Methods for Teaching Peripheral Blood Smears
Condition: Hematologic Diseases
MeSH terms: Hematologic Diseases
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      This is a prospective, randomized controlled, crossover trial comparing the effectiveness one
      two curricular designs to teaching peripheral blood smears to residents.
    

Detailed description: 
      General Approach:

      This study will employ a randomized, controlled design and will use as its outcomes two
      separate post-tests, one after the first teaching session and one 4 weeks after the second
      intervention.

      Design The investigators are attempting to find whether the combination of basic science
      education using an 1-hour additive microskills- building method along with compare/ contrast
      model versus a 1-hour traditional case-based format would improve performance on a visual
      recognition test of hematology questions. A final test at 4 weeks after the cross-over
      between the two groups will also help investigators analyze whether the order of exposure to
      the teaching method would have an impact on the final performance.

      Sampling, including sample size and statistical power:

      Sample size will be between 40-50 resident physicians meeting inclusion criteria for the
      study. There is not enough data in the literature to effectively determine power, so we will
      use a convenience sample of the largest feasible group (around 40).

      Collection of data:

      Data will be collected on an excel spreadsheet and will be permanently de-identified on that
      spreadsheet; it will be kept on a password-protected site.

      Information management and analysis software:

      Data will be entered into a password protected excel spreadsheet and each study participant
      will be assigned a unique identifier code which will be used to link the data. Statistical
      analysis will be performed using SPSS version 20.

      Data entry, editing and management, including handling of data collection forms, different
      versions of data, and data storage and disposition:

      Paper surveys and tests will be collected, recorded and locked; they will be destroyed 2
      years after termination of the study. A paired t-test will be used to compare the two samples
      means for significance.

      Quality Control / Assurance:

      Pretest and post-tests will be checked against a gold standard, a hospital board-certified
      hematopathologist, to check the quality of the slides.

      Bias in data collection, measurement and analysis:

      Given the small numbers of participants expected, a Type 1 error (failure to detect a
      difference in groups when one exists) is possible, as the study will possibly be
      underpowered.
    

Intervention name(s): Case vignette-based teaching of cell recognition; Compare-contrast basic science teaching of cell recognition
Intervention type(s): Other; Other
Intervention description(s): Intervention group members will be taught peripheral blood smears by using power point slides and utilizing additive microskills using the compare/ contrast technique to recognize various cell types. Memory will be reinforced by using cases to help recognize the clinical importance of learning about individual cell types.; The control group will be given a traditional 60-minute lecture using board review questions with accompanying pictures of peripheral blood smears, without explaining individual cell type.
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Crossover Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)
Primary purpose: Basic Science
Keywords: Education