Use of Commercially Produced Medical Education Videos in a Cardiovascular Curriculum: Multiple Cohort Study

BACKGROUND: Short instructional videos can make learning more efficient through the application of multimedia principles, and video animations can illustrate the complex concepts and dynamic processes that are common in health sciences education. Commercially produced videos are commonly used by medical students but are rarely integrated into curricula. OBJECTIVE: Our goal was to examine student engagement with medical education videos incorporated into a preclinical Cardiovascular Systems course. METHODS: Students who took the first-year 8-week Cardiovascular Systems course in 2019 and 2020 were included in the study. Videos from Osmosis were recommended to be watched before live sessions throughout the course. Video use was monitored through dashboards, and course credit was given for watching videos. All students were emailed electronic surveys after the final exam asking about the course’s blended learning experience and use of videos. Osmosis usage data for number of video views, multiple choice questions, and flashcards were extracted from Osmosis dashboards. RESULTS: Overall, 232/359 (64.6%) students completed surveys, with rates by class of 81/154 (52.6%) for MD Class of 2022, 39/50 (78%) for MD/MPH Class of 2022, and 112/155 (72.3%) for MD Class of 2023. Osmosis dashboard data were available for all 359 students. All students received the full credit offered for Osmosis engagement, and learning analytics demonstrated regular usage of videos and other digital platform features. Survey responses indicated that most students found Osmosis videos to be helpful for learning (204/232, 87.9%; P=.001) and preferred Osmosis videos to the traditional lecture format (134/232, 57.8%; P<.001). CONCLUSIONS: Commercial medical education videos may enhance curriculum with low faculty effort and improve students’ learning experiences. Findings from our experience at one medical school can guide the effective use of supplemental digital resources for learning, and related evaluation and research.