Effectiveness of blended learning to improve medical students’ communication skills: a randomized, controlled trial
Abstract Background This study aimed to evaluate whether a blended learning course improves medical students’ communication skills compared to a face-to-face only lecture. Methods After completing a face-to-face lecture on communication skills, 2nd year medical students were gender-matched and rando...
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BMC
2025-03-01
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| Series: | BMC Medical Education |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-025-06938-w |
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| author | Sebastian Gross Kurt Wunderlich Armon Arpagaus Christoph Becker Flavio Gössi Benjamin Bissmann Samuel K. Zumbrunn Michael Wilde Sabina Hunziker |
| author_facet | Sebastian Gross Kurt Wunderlich Armon Arpagaus Christoph Becker Flavio Gössi Benjamin Bissmann Samuel K. Zumbrunn Michael Wilde Sabina Hunziker |
| author_sort | Sebastian Gross |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background This study aimed to evaluate whether a blended learning course improves medical students’ communication skills compared to a face-to-face only lecture. Methods After completing a face-to-face lecture on communication skills, 2nd year medical students were gender-matched and randomized to either an intervention receiving an interactive video-based online learning module covering the content of the previous lecture and including a knowledge assessment or a control group only receiving a knowledge assessment. The primary endpoint was students’ knowledge about communication techniques assessed by a predefined score from 0 to 100. Secondary outcomes included students’ feedback and satisfaction on a scale from 0 to 5. Additionally, qualitative analysis of free-text responses to patient case vignettes was conducted. Results One hundred sixty-four medical students were included in the final analysis (64% female). The intervention group had significantly higher knowledge (mean, SD points) (73.6 ± 10.7 versus 56.7 ± 15.3, adjusted difference 17.02, 95%CI 12.95 to 21.1, p < 0.001) and reported higher satisfaction (4.3 ± 0.9 versus 3.5 ± 1.0, difference 0.78, 95%CI 0.48 to 1.07, p < 0.001) compared to the control group. Qualitative analysis of free-text responses also revealed improvements in patient-centered communication techniques in the intervention group. Conclusions Blended learning significantly enhances medical students’ communication skills and satisfaction compared to traditional lecture-based learning and may thereby contribute to the development of future knowledge and practices to improve patient-centered care. Clinical trial number Not applicable. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-1f4ec4548b4848f6855f7d3e447f0c94 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 1472-6920 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-03-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Medical Education |
| spelling | doaj-art-1f4ec4548b4848f6855f7d3e447f0c942025-08-20T02:56:16ZengBMCBMC Medical Education1472-69202025-03-0125111110.1186/s12909-025-06938-wEffectiveness of blended learning to improve medical students’ communication skills: a randomized, controlled trialSebastian Gross0Kurt Wunderlich1Armon Arpagaus2Christoph Becker3Flavio Gössi4Benjamin Bissmann5Samuel K. Zumbrunn6Michael Wilde7Sabina Hunziker8Medical Communication and Psychosomatic Medicine, University Hospital BaselFaculty of Medicine, University of BaselMedical Communication and Psychosomatic Medicine, University Hospital BaselMedical Communication and Psychosomatic Medicine, University Hospital BaselMedical Communication and Psychosomatic Medicine, University Hospital BaselMedical Communication and Psychosomatic Medicine, University Hospital BaselMedical Communication and Psychosomatic Medicine, University Hospital BaselFaculty of Medicine, University of BaselMedical Communication and Psychosomatic Medicine, University Hospital BaselAbstract Background This study aimed to evaluate whether a blended learning course improves medical students’ communication skills compared to a face-to-face only lecture. Methods After completing a face-to-face lecture on communication skills, 2nd year medical students were gender-matched and randomized to either an intervention receiving an interactive video-based online learning module covering the content of the previous lecture and including a knowledge assessment or a control group only receiving a knowledge assessment. The primary endpoint was students’ knowledge about communication techniques assessed by a predefined score from 0 to 100. Secondary outcomes included students’ feedback and satisfaction on a scale from 0 to 5. Additionally, qualitative analysis of free-text responses to patient case vignettes was conducted. Results One hundred sixty-four medical students were included in the final analysis (64% female). The intervention group had significantly higher knowledge (mean, SD points) (73.6 ± 10.7 versus 56.7 ± 15.3, adjusted difference 17.02, 95%CI 12.95 to 21.1, p < 0.001) and reported higher satisfaction (4.3 ± 0.9 versus 3.5 ± 1.0, difference 0.78, 95%CI 0.48 to 1.07, p < 0.001) compared to the control group. Qualitative analysis of free-text responses also revealed improvements in patient-centered communication techniques in the intervention group. Conclusions Blended learning significantly enhances medical students’ communication skills and satisfaction compared to traditional lecture-based learning and may thereby contribute to the development of future knowledge and practices to improve patient-centered care. Clinical trial number Not applicable.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-025-06938-wOnline learningE-learningBlended learningCommunication |
| spellingShingle | Sebastian Gross Kurt Wunderlich Armon Arpagaus Christoph Becker Flavio Gössi Benjamin Bissmann Samuel K. Zumbrunn Michael Wilde Sabina Hunziker Effectiveness of blended learning to improve medical students’ communication skills: a randomized, controlled trial BMC Medical Education Online learning E-learning Blended learning Communication |
| title | Effectiveness of blended learning to improve medical students’ communication skills: a randomized, controlled trial |
| title_full | Effectiveness of blended learning to improve medical students’ communication skills: a randomized, controlled trial |
| title_fullStr | Effectiveness of blended learning to improve medical students’ communication skills: a randomized, controlled trial |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effectiveness of blended learning to improve medical students’ communication skills: a randomized, controlled trial |
| title_short | Effectiveness of blended learning to improve medical students’ communication skills: a randomized, controlled trial |
| title_sort | effectiveness of blended learning to improve medical students communication skills a randomized controlled trial |
| topic | Online learning E-learning Blended learning Communication |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-025-06938-w |
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