JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Medical education continues to favor didactic lectures as the predominant method of instruction. However, in recent years, there has been a shift to active learning methodologies, such as gamification.

Objective:

This study describes the development, and implementation of three digital, open-access pharmacology games tailored for medical students. Additionally, it evaluates the impact of gamification on knowledge retention, student engagement, and learning experience in pharmacology education.

Methods:

We used a quasi-experimental design to examine the effects of gamification on knowledge retention by comparing pre-and post-test scores between gamers and control groups. A survey was used to assess students’ perceptions of gamification as a learning tool.

Results:

The gamer group exhibited significantly improved post-test scores (P=0.00630), while the control group did not. Most respondents (83%) found the games enjoyable, and 80% agreed that the games effectively helped them understand pharmacologic concepts. Additionally, 70% of students believed they learned better from the gaming format than from didactic lectures. Most favored a blended approach that combines lectures with games or case studies.

Conclusions:

The study's outcomes underscore the effectiveness of gamification as a complementary teaching tool for medical students in imparting pharmacological concepts.