The effects of 'small private online course + flipped classroom' teaching on job competency of nuclear medicine training trainees.

Background: Nuclear medicine is an interdisciplinary field that integrates basic science with clinical medicine. The traditional classroom teaching model lacks interactive and efficient teaching methods and does not adequately address the learning needs and educational goals associated with standardized training for residents. The teaching model that combines Small Private Online Courses (SPOCs) with a flipped classroom approach is more aligned with the demands of real-life scenarios and workplace requirements, thereby assisting students in developing comprehensive literacy and practical problem-solving skills. However, this innovative teaching model has yet to be implemented in Nuclear medicine courses. This study aimed to explore whether the post-training competence for residents can be improved based on this new teaching model.

Methods: A total of 103 first-year residents from Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital were randomly assigned to either an experimental group (n = 52) or a control group (n = 51) between July 2019 and June 2023. The experimental group utilized a SPOC and flipped classroom-blended teaching model, while the control group received traditional lecture-based learning (LBL). We assessed the theoretical evaluation scores and questionnaire responses from both groups to determine the effectiveness of the new pedagogical approach.

Results: Residents in the experimental group demonstrated a superior understanding of nuclear medicine content compared to those in the control group, achieving higher scores on pre-class assessments, after-class tests, and final exams (P < 0.01). A majority of the residents in the experimental group expressed that the innovative teaching model, which integrated SPOC and a flipped classroom approach, significantly enhanced their motivation and contributed to the development of their 'professional skills,' 'patient care,' 'interaction and teamwork,' 'teaching proficiency,' and 'learning capabilities'. The teaching satisfaction survey indicated that the experimental group reported significantly higher levels of 'overall satisfaction,' as well as greater satisfaction with ' teaching methodologies ' and ' fulfillment of targeted clinical skills,' compared to the control group (P < 0.01).

Conclusions: The SPOC and flipped classroom teaching model is better than traditional LBL in enriching residents' professional knowledge and cultivating their post-training competence. It can effectively promote educational quality, improve residents' learning, and enhance their satisfaction.