# Test-enhanced learning in Neuroanesthesia for the First Year anesthetic residents: a randomized controlled trial

## TL;DR

A study found that test-enhanced learning did not significantly improve first-year anesthesiology residents' knowledge in neuroanesthesia.

## Contribution

This is the first study to investigate test-enhanced learning's effect on postgraduate medical trainees in neuroanesthesia.

## Key findings

- TEL did not significantly improve scores on basic science topics.
- TEL also did not significantly improve scores on clinical science topics.
- Further research is needed to determine effective test formats for medical trainees.

## Abstract

Test enhancing learning (TEL) had shown a significant effect in promoting the learning of many learning contents. However, its effect on the postgraduate medical level was unclear. This study aimed to investigate the effect of TEL in 1st year anesthesiology residents learning neuroanesthesia.

The residents were randomized to either group A, which was assigned to do the intervention exam (exam A) for two times during learning in neuroanesthesia, or group B, which studied in the same environment without doing the exam. All participants were assigned to do the assessment exam (exam B) at one month after the end of the rotation. All of the exams were ten multiple choice questions (MCQ). Since the anesthesia residents rotated to neuroanesthesia for two weeks twice during the first year, we conducted the experiments twice, using exams that covered both basic science (BS) and clinical science (CS) topics.

There was no significant difference in mean ± SD of the scores for assessment exams asking about the basic science topic (BS_B) [group A (5.25 ± 2.05) VS group B (4.90 ± 1.80); p = 0.570] and the clinical science topic (CS_B) [group A (6.30 ± 1.26) VS group B (5.95 ± 1.61); p = 0.448].

This study showed null findings on the effect of TEL on learning in residents of the first year of anesthesiology. More studies on TEL were required to confirm the effect of TEL and find the appropriate test format that could enhance learning for post-graduate medical trainees.