Games as a Teaching and Learning Tool in Medical Education

Abstract

Medical educators have called for innovative and active learning methods that either complement or supplement the traditional lecture format. Medical education involves didactic and pedagogic strategies using a variety of active learning tools in order to enhance medical knowledge, self-directed learning and decision-making skills. Educational games can be considered as one such teaching methodology that can improve medical knowledge and self-directed learning skills. Educational games differ from other learning strategies in that they are competitive in nature and constrained by rules and procedures. While traditional lectures may not reflect on the levels of complexity of real-life situations in medicine, educational games can help to clarify difficult-to-understand medical issues (in a simpler process) and, when played in a competitive manner, may have the potential to engage and motivate trainees.