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McAloon C, Leach H, Gill S, et al. Improving ECG Competence in Medical Trainees in a UK District General Hospital. Cardiol Res. 2014;5(2):51-57doi: 10.14740/cr333e.
McAloon, C., Leach, H., Gill, S., Aluwalia, A., & Trevelyan, J. (2014). Improving ECG Competence in Medical Trainees in a UK District General Hospital. Cardiology research, 5(2), 51-57. https://doi.org/10.14740/cr333e
McAloon, Christopher, et al. "Improving ECG Competence in Medical Trainees in a UK District General Hospital." Cardiology research vol. 5,2 (2014): 51-57. doi: https://doi.org/10.14740/cr333e
McAloon C, Leach H, Gill S, Aluwalia A, Trevelyan J. Improving ECG Competence in Medical Trainees in a UK District General Hospital. Cardiol Res. 2014 Apr;5(2):51-57. doi: 10.14740/cr333e. Epub 2014 May 15. PMID: 28392875; PMCID: PMC5358174.
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Cardiol Res. 2014 Apr;5(2):51-57. doi: 10.14740/cr333e. Epub 2014 May 15.

Improving ECG Competence in Medical Trainees in a UK District General Hospital.

Cardiology research

Christopher McAloon, Helen Leach, Simrat Gill, Arun Aluwalia, Jasper Trevelyan

Affiliations

  1. Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, Charles Hastings Way, Worcester, WR5 1DD, UK.
  2. Birmingham Heartlands Hospital NHS Trust, Bordesley Green, Birmingham, B9 5SS, UK.

PMID: 28392875 PMCID: PMC5358174 DOI: 10.14740/cr333e

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Competency in electrocardiogram (ECG) interpretation is central to undergraduate and postgraduate clinical training. Studies have demonstrated ECGs are interpreted sub-optimally. Our study compares the effectiveness of two learning strategies to improve competence and confidence.

METHOD: A 1-month prospective randomized study compared the strategies in two cohorts: undergraduate third year medical students and postgraduate foundation year one (FY1) doctors. Both had blinded randomization to one of these learning strategies: focused teaching program (FTP) and self-directed learning (SDL). All volunteers completed a confidence questionnaire before and after allocation learning strategy and an ECG recognition multiple choice question (MCQ) paper at the end of the learning period.

RESULTS: The FTP group of undergraduates demonstrated a significant difference in successfully interpreting "ventricular tachycardia" (P = 0.046) and "narrow complex tachycardia" (P = 0.009) than the SDL group. Participant confidence increased in both learning strategies. FTP confidence demonstrated a greater improvement than SDL for both cohorts.

CONCLUSION: A dedicated teaching program can improve trainee confidence and competence in ECG interpretation. A larger benefit is observed in undergraduates and those undertaking a FTP.

Keywords: Competence; Confidence; ECG; Interpretation; Training

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