A Randomized Trial Comparing Digital and Live Lecture Formats

Problem Statement and Background – Medical education is increasingly being conducted in community-based teaching sites making it difficult to provide a consistent curriculum. We conducted a randomized trial to assess whether digital lectures could replace live lectures. Methods – Students were randomized to either attending a lecture series at our main campus or viewing digital versions of the same lectures at community sites. Both groups completed an examination based on the lectures and the group viewing the digital lectures completed a feedback form. Results – The group who viewed the digital lectures performed slightly better than the live lecture group however the differences were not statistically significant. Despite technical problems the students who viewed the digital lectures overwhelmingly felt the digital lectures could replace live lectures. Conclusions – Digital lectures appear to be a viable alternative to live lectures as a means of delivering didactic presentations in a community-based setting