Evaluation of an online telemedicine course via Facebook: A randomized controlled trial

Quispe-Juli C.U.; Aragón-Ayala C.J.; Orellano C. · Educacion Medica (2025) · DOI: 10.1016/j.edumed.2024.100984

Resumen

Background: Social media platforms are increasingly used in medical education, but their impact on academic performance compared to educational platforms is still unclear. Our objective was to evaluate a telemedicine course for resident physicians using Facebook compared to one using Moodle. Methods: A randomized, open, parallel-group controlled trial was conducted to compare the efficacy of an educational intervention through Facebook, to that of an intervention through Moodle. Results: The general retention rate was 59.6% (56/94). A significant increase in knowledge was found both in the Facebook group with a mean of 21.40 (SD = 4.04) to 26.97 (SD = 3.82), with p < 0.001 (Cohen's d = 1.44), as well as in the control group of mean 20.12 (SD = 3.82) to 27.35 (SD = 2.91), (Cohen's d = 2.09), with p value < 0.001. The knowledge gain in telemedicine was greater in the control group than in the Facebook group, although this difference was not significant (p = 0.097) and had a small effect size (Cohen's d = − 0.45). The median satisfaction scores on the telemedicine course for most of the criteria evaluated was equal to or greater than five (out of seven points) in both groups, with no differences between the two. Conclusion: This study could not demonstrate that an educational intervention through Facebook had a greater gain in knowledge compared to one carried out through a platform for educational purposes such as Moodle.

Instituciones: Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia; Universidad Nacional de San Agustín de Arequipa