Accepted for/Published in: JMIR Medical Education
Date Submitted: Apr 21, 2025
Date Accepted: Jan 3, 2026
The design and evaluation of an online continuing medical education app for medical professionals in China: a quantitative study
ABSTRACT
Background:
As an emerging delivery mode of education, online continuing medical education increases the accessibility of high-quality medical training for professionals and students in China. As a representative example, Guo Yuan (means “nationwide” in Chinese) online continuing medical education platform serving trainees via mobile APP, has been operated by the National Telemedicine Center of China since 2018.
Objective:
This study focuses on identify the trends in the adoption and usage of the Guo Yuan regional online continuing medical education platform accessible via mobile APP from 2018 to 2023 and provides references for the application of online continuing medical education.
Methods:
We analyzed yearly usage data of the Guo Yuan mobile APP from 2018 to 2023. Furthermore, we collected surveys on the satisfaction and recognition of competency enhancement in online continuing medical education in each connected hospital in 2023. Utilizing IBM SPSS 25.0 tool, we conducted statistical studies on the dataset for volume, trend, and significance analysis.
Results:
From 2018 to 2023, the mobile platform had a total of 94,537 registered trainees, 1,672 published course videos, and 1,878,437 attendances, all of which showed an increasing trend on a yearly basis. The attendance for courses in Ophthalmology & otolaryngology and pathology was higher than in other disciplines, with a median attendance of 610 and 283 participants, respectively. Discipline category, professional title, and working years were the main factors influencing satisfaction and recognition of competency enhancement in online continuing medical education.
Conclusions:
Mobile online continuing medical education platforms have become increasingly popular among medical professionals in China, particularly since the outbreak of COVID-19. However, there were significant differences in online continuing medical education course offerings across different disciplines. The course design and software interaction of online continuing medical education need further optimization.
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