Integrated clinical pharmacology and therapeutics for medical students: multidisciplinary approach for flipped classroom using video resources

Background
The impact of polypharmacy is well recognized for patients with multimorbidity[1]. Integration of therapeutics from various medical specialties needs to be part of education of each future doctors.
Meaningful and active learning activities are well recognized as strong motivators for students [2]. The flipped classroom [3] using video as content delivery was the chosen method.
Aim
To design, implement and evaluate a method of clinical pharmacology and therapeutics (CPT) multidisciplinary learning through a motivating approach for final-year medical students.
Methods
Each CPT lessons followed the same scheme (see figure):
• each student visualizes about 15 videos available 15 days before D-day
• on D-day, he participates in
o a workshop of 15 students: 3 clinical cases of multimorbidity are discussed followed by 5 multiple choice questions (MCQ) per case, individual answers on an electronic teaching platform
o plenary session: answers to MCQ and feedback of a multidisciplinary teachers’ team
Videos conformed to a pedagogic-determined format [4]:6 to 9 minutes, talking head with expert, slides in the background.
Each lesson was coordinated by a multidisciplinary medical team that reached consensus on each CPT video’s topic and feedbacks.
A qualitative assessment by participants (students, teachers) was based on “one-minute paper” technique.
Results
46 experts produced 64 videos. 4 CPT lessons for 200 students targeted 4 domains: pediatrics, geriatrics, internal medicine, women’s health medicine.
We observed a high level of student’s participation: 95% of video visualizations and MCQ answers, heterogeneous attendance at workshop and average attendance of 50% at plenary session without any incentive.
Students were highly satisfied about videos, clinical cases and plenary sessions. Lack of time and lack of teacher’s consensus during debriefing were seen as weaknesses.
Teachers were enthusiastic about creating video supports and participating to whole process of flipped classroom, although time- and money- consuming for the initiation.
Conclusion
The multidisciplinary approach represents an innovative way to tackle complexity of CPT and bringing integrated answers for patient with multimorbidity.
The produced framework is an innovative method for participants, generating motivation for students and teachers.
Time for effective student’s preparation and diversified CPT resources should be introduced according to flipped classroom method.