APGO

Background: The flipped classroom is an innovative approach that has not been reported during medical student clerkships.

Methods: All third-year students rotating on our clerkship attended a flipped classroom between July 2014 and June 2015.  Central to the change was replacement of a traditional lecture (“prolonged pregnancy”) with interactive learning at eight stations by student pairs (one each on obstetrics and gynecology services).  The stations featured manipulative models, instruments, data, and images involving late prenatal care, fetal growth and testing, and labor-delivery decision-making.  A list of terms was provided to highlight each station’s case scenario. Before class, students received a handout describing learning objectives, background to the subject, and the stations.  Students evaluated the session via surveys immediately after the session and four weeks later. Before 2014, this topic was presented by the same faculty member as a traditional lecture.

Results: The median score given by students increased from 4.0 (previous 4 years) to 4.6 (on a 5-point scale). Compared with traditional lectures by other clerkship faculty, the flipped classroom was judged by students to be easier for learning and more interactive. Students perceived being more responsible for learning with improved retention, better recall, and more application to practice.

Discussions: The flipped classroom model was easily executed and effective in educating medical students during their clerkship.  Favorable responses indicated that this interactive learning environment warrants broader application and long-term assessment.

Keywords: flipped, learner-centered, lecture