Medical Schools Can Now Enable Students to Retain What They Learn 331% Longer with Audiovisual Mnemonics
CHARLOTTE, N.C., Oct. 3, 2023 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The United States Medical Licensing Exams® (USMLE®) are perhaps the most challenging tests on the planet, causing significant anxiety among medical students competing for residencies.(1) While officials recently changed USMLE Step 1 from a three-digit score to a pass/fail model to help reduce this stress, students indicated that they would not spend as much time preparing for Step 1,(2) and overall USMLE Step 1 pass rates dipped from 88% in 2021 to 82% in 2022.(3)
Furthermore, a recent TrueLearn survey of more than 250 medical school educators revealed major concerns following the transition of USMLE Step 1 to a pass/fail exam, including the ability of students to retain basic sciences knowledge and the risk of underperforming on Step 2 CK—an exam that remains a three-digit score outcome. With the anticipation that residency program directors will place more emphasis on Step 2 CK scores during the application review process, the ramifications of underperformance are great, as students may not match into their desired specialty or residency program.
To help students excel in medical school and on the USMLE board exams, TrueLearn has integrated Picmonic into its digital learning and analytics platform. Acquired by TrueLearn in 2021, Picmonic provides 2,000+ audiovisual mnemonic lessons, covering major medical school content and topics, and 23,000+ need-to-know facts. These tools enable students to build a strong knowledge base and retain what they learn 331% longer while improving exam scores by 55%, according to a National Library of Medicine study.(4)
The TrueLearn-Picmonic integration provides a comprehensive learning loop powered by an advanced data analytics engine that elevates curricular, exam, and program outcomes.
- Faculty can enhance their existing curricula and improve outcomes by leveraging Picmonic in didactics and integrating customizable, USMLE-style questions and quizzes to assess knowledge acquisition and application. According to TrueLearn's survey, only 16% of medical school educators currently have integrated formative and summative assessments across the curriculum, and just 16% have integrated board-style questions following the transition of USMLE Step 1 to a pass/fail outcome.
- Deans, Department Heads, and Clerkship Directors can leverage real-time performance data, longitudinal insights, and comparative analytics to identify at-risk students early, track remediation progress, and inform curricular decisions. The TrueLearn survey also revealed only 25% of medical school educators have data insights to predict USMLE outcomes.
- Students can learn, retain, and recall concepts better and faster with Picmonic, and assess their ability to apply knowledge and engage in higher-order thinking with TrueLearn, all the while developing self-regulated learning skills and preparing for board exams.
"We are very excited to offer Picmonic as an integrated solution on our platform," said TrueLearn CCO Kate Campbell. "We expect that programs and learners alike will see an increase in exam preparedness and optimize performance that will translate into improved residency match outcomes."
About the TrueLearn-Picmonic Learning Loop
TrueLearn and Picmonic form a powerful learning loop that combines audiovisual mnemonics, spaced repetition, and low-stakes practice recall to drive effective, efficient learning in healthcare education. Students master complex concepts with ease with audiovisual mnemonics then strengthen knowledge application and engage in deeper learning as they take board-style practice questions and review detailed rationales with TrueLearn.
About TrueLearn
TrueLearn is a leading digital learning and analytics company that focuses on training healthcare professionals in the areas of medicine, nursing, therapy, and allied health. Preparing for high-stakes exams in healthcare is challenging for even the highest-performing learners. We help them realize their full potential and support institutions in meeting educational goals.
(1) Tackett S, Jeyaraju M, Moore J, Hudder A, Yingling S, Park YS, Grichanik M. Student well-being during dedicated preparation for USMLE Step 1 and COMLEX Level 1 exams. BMC Med Educ. 2022 Jan 4;22(1):16. doi: 10.1186/s12909-021-03055-2. PMID: 34983481; PMCID: PMC8728922.
(2) Girard AO, Qiu C, Lake IV, Chen J, Lopez CD, Yang R. US medical student perspectives on the impact of a pass/fail USMLE Step 1. J Surg Educ. 2022;79(2):397-408. doi:10.1016/j.jsurg.2021.09.010
(3) United States Medical Licensing Examination. Early Release of USMLE Step 1 2022 Summary Performance. USMLE.org. Accessed on May 30, 2023.
(4) Yang A, Goel H, Bryan M, Robertson R, Lim J, Islam S, Speicher MR. The Picmonic(®) Learning System: enhancing memory retention of medical sciences, using an audiovisual mnemonic Web-based learning platform. Adv Med Educ Pract. 2014 May 8;5:125-32. doi: 10.2147/AMEP.S61875. PMID: 24868180; PMCID: PMC4029202.
*The USMLE® and National Board of Medical Examiners® (NBME®) subject exams are trademarks of the National Board of Medical Examiners. This content is not endorsed or approved by NBME.
Media Contact
Marty Mullarkey, TrueLearn, 650-740-3841, [email protected], https://truelearn.com
SOURCE TrueLearn
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