Association for Surgical EducationImproved knowledge gain and retention for third-year medical students during surgical journal club using basic science review: A pilot study

BackgroundAs they enter the clinical years, medical students face large adjustments in the acquisition of medical knowledge. We hypothesized that basic science review related to the topic of journal club papers would increase the educational benefit for third-year medical students.MethodsStudents were randomized either to participation in a review session about basic science related to the journal club paper, or to no review. After one day, and after three months, students were given a 10-question quiz encompassing the basic science and the clinical implications of the paper.ResultsTwenty-six of 50 students were randomized to basic science review. These students scored better on both sections of the quiz one day after journal club, but only on basic science questions after three months.ConclusionsStudents who participated in basic science review had better knowledge gain and retention. Educational activities building upon foundational knowledge improves learning on clinical rotations.