A COMPUTER-BASED SELF-DIRECTED TRAINING MODULE FOR BASIC SUTURING

This paper describes the development and pilot testing of a computer-b ased self-directed training module designed to teach basic suturing to medical students. The module was developed in a cooperative effort be tween physicians, audiovisual technicians and computer programmers. A group of 14 first-year medical students were then recruited and traine d in wound management and suturing using the self-directed training mo dule. These students were then tested in an Objective Structured Clini cal Examination (OSCE) format and their scores compared with those of a group of 18 fourth-year students trained in the traditional in the t raditional manner. In comparing the first-year students with the fourt h-year students the mean scores on the OSCE were similar (14.7 vs 15.4 ). There is no statistical difference between these mean scores and th eir ranking (Mann-Whitney chi(2) statistic = 0.53; 1 df; p = 0.47). Ou r pilot study suggests that this training module for basic suturing ma y be an effective tool for teaching undergraduate medical students.