Visual thinking strategies enhance clinical observation skills in medical and nursing students: an experimental study

Good observation skills are crucial for accurate diagnosis. We evaluated Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS), an art-based teaching method, on medical students' observation skills via randomized controlled trials with 92 undergraduates and 78 graduates. One group attended VTS sessions led by art t...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Yanying Chen, Jiahua Li, Xue Zeng, Junxiang Chen, Yuhui Wang, Zixie Chen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2025-08-01
Series:Cogent Education
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Online Access:https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/2331186X.2025.2542651
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Summary:Good observation skills are crucial for accurate diagnosis. We evaluated Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS), an art-based teaching method, on medical students' observation skills via randomized controlled trials with 92 undergraduates and 78 graduates. One group attended VTS sessions led by art teachers; the other received traditional nursing education. Post-course tests revealed VTS significantly improved clinical observation scores (F=23.49, p<0.01), with graduates outperforming undergraduates (F=56.58, p<0.01). A notable interaction between VTS and knowledge background was found (F=107.7, p<0.05). VTS, even outside art museums, effectively enhances medical students' observation skills through visual art training..
ISSN:2331-186X