Previously funded NOHF project: Patient-centric hybrid education in Oxford
In 2022 the Nuffield Oxford Hospitals Fund (NOHF) provided funding to develop patient-centric hybrid education in Oxford via a novel, medical education software solution, to provide students with deep learning opportunities and patient-centred content at scale
Report by: Professor Ashok Handa, Nuffield Department of Surgical Sciences, University of Oxford.
In 2022 the Nuffield Oxford Hospitals Fund (NOHF) provided funding to develop patient-centric hybrid education in Oxford via a novel, medical education software solution, to provide students with deep learning opportunities and patient-centred content at scale. On the platform, students author, review and answer multiple-choice questions (MCQs) in a gamified online environment.
A lack of formative assessment material is a common challenge in medical education. This project sought to address this gap by leveraging medical education software to create curriculum-specific multiple-choice questions (MCQs) based on real-world patient scenarios and lived experiences. The platform enabled students to author, review, and answer MCQs and share this patient-centric material with their peers.
Results
The pilot demonstrated significant benefits for both students and faculty:
- Key Metric: A total of 1,185 curriculum-specific MCQs were generated by students.
- Students: The project addressed key areas of student feedback, including the need for more formative assessment material, better peer-to-peer learning opportunities, and a more diverse learning experience. 86% of students in the General Surgery module reported high satisfaction with the platform, and 100% expressed interest in expanding it to other parts of the curriculum. One student remarked: “The platform is an excellent addition to my learning. I like the fact that questions are directly related to the course.”
- Staff: Faculty reported substantial time savings in creating assessment material and appreciated the platform’s ability to highlight areas where students needed additional support. Project lead: “It is fantastic to facilitate students working together to create a high-quality resource for themselves and for generations of future students.”
Future Plans
Building on the pilot's success, the project aims to expand the software to all years of the medical course and incorporate additional anonymised patient stories into the MCQs. This approach will further enhance engagement and patient-centric learning opportunities. The pilot also revealed promising research opportunities, including a "think aloud" study in collaboration with Imperial College London and a multi-centre trial with European universities (Maastricht, Coimbra, and Lodz). Several publications have already emerged from this innovative educational approach (examples below). Ultimately, the project seeks to elevate educational standards at Oxford and inspire similar initiatives globally.