Abstract
Objectives
The authors investigated student satisfaction with the use of comics as an educational tool in clinical medical education.
Methods
Students on a Psychiatry clinical clerkship reviewed educational comics at the time of orientation. End of clerkship surveys were utilized to assess students’ perceptions about the usefulness of comics for their learning during the clerkship. Students’ responses were qualitatively and quantitatively analyzed.
Results
Eighty-four percent of students indicated that comics helped improve their understanding of clinical concepts, while approximately 80% felt that reviewing comics prior to each clerkship rotation helped ease transition into their assigned clinical service. Almost three quarters of all responders (74%) indicated that they were more likely to review preparatory material in comic form, as compared to other formats. Students found the comics easy to read, fun, and appreciated the concise presentation of information within them. Students also highlighted the limited amount of information presented as a relative weakness of the program.
Conclusions
Comics may be utilized as an acceptable educational tool in clinical medical education.
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Acknowledgements
The authors would like to acknowledge the following colleagues for their help in reviewing the material presented in the comics: Michael Goldenberg, Mark Rapp, Andrew Francis, Erika Saunders, Steven Sinderman, Michael Murray, and James Waxmonsky. The authors would also like to extend their gratitude to the Woodward Center for Excellence in Health Sciences Education at the Penn State College of Medicine for their assistance in preparation of this manuscript.
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Analysis of data presented in this article was permitted as part of our institution’s educational data registry (Institutional Review Board ID: 00000123).
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Joshi, A., Hillwig-Garcia, J., Joshi, M. et al. Comics as an Educational Tool on a Clinical Clerkship. Acad Psychiatry 43, 290–293 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40596-018-1016-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40596-018-1016-1