[Cover image by ovariancancer1 on Pixabay]
by Cindy Nebel
Naturally, we typically talk about classroom learning with student learners. But fundamentally, we are all learners and as professionals in education, we are expected to continue learning. This means that the same evidence-based strategies that you seek out for your students can apply to you as well.
Today I’m reviewing a recent paper that used spaced repetition (and retrieval) to help practicing physicians retain information that they would need to renew their licenses (1). This required both retention of information but also the ability of these physicians to transfer their knowledge to clinical scenarios. We’ve talked before about how difficult transfer of knowledge can be, so this was an ambitious task.
For this study, the researchers used an existing platform that gives physicians practice questions. Because the platform is entirely formative in nature, the physicians can take their time going through the questions and they get excellent feedback explaining why each answer is correct. The physicians also got continuing education credits for engaging with the platform. Because this was a national study using a pre-existing platform, the researchers started the study with over 26,000 participants! Almost 17,000 participants stayed on until the end!
