SAFMEDS (Say-All-Fast-Minute-Every-Day-Shuffled) is a flashcard-type behavioural instructional methodology, involving one-minute learning trials that function both as practice and assessment, used to facilitate the development of fluency in a behaviour. The primary research question was whether SAFMEDS engenders improvement in performance beyond that conferred by usual teaching. A secondary research question was whether SAFMEDS is an effective method of producing fluency in Electrocardiogram (ECG) interpretation. A pilot study was conducted to determine sample size required to power the pragmatic randomised controlled trial (RCT). For the subsequent RCT, participants were randomly assigned to a “usual teaching” control group (n = 14) or the SAFMEDS intervention group (n = 13), with the recognition of 15 cardiac conditions on ECGs (e.g., atrial fibrillation, complete heart block) targeted. Intervention group participants’ performance was tracked over eight weeks as they worked towards achieving the fluency criterion. Percentage accuracy in ECG interpretation was assessed at baseline and post-test for both groups. An ANCOVA was conducted to assess for differences in the performance of the intervention and control group at post-test while controlling for the baseline performance of participants. At post-test, the numbers of participants achieving fluency within the intervention group was examined. A large effect size of SAFMEDS (partial η2 = .67) was identified when controlling for the effects of baseline performance. At post-test, the intervention group significantly outperformed (M = 61.5%; SD = 12.1%) the control group (M = 31.6%; SD = 12.5%, p < .001). In total, 7 of 13 intervention group participants achieved fluency. Participants required an average of 51.9 one-minute trials (SD = 18.8) to achieve fluency. SAFMEDS offers a useful adjunct to usual teaching within medical education. Further research could assess whether learning retains, is stable, and transfers to clinical practice.

中文翻译：

---

SAFMEDS 的一项务实随机对照试验，旨在提高心电图解读的流畅性


SAFMEDS（Say-All-Fast-Minute-Every-Day-Shuffled）是一种抽认卡式的行为教学方法，涉及一分钟的学习试验，既可以作为练习，也可以作为评估，用于促进行为的流畅性的发展。主要研究问题是 SAFMEDS 是否能带来超出常规教学的表现改善。第二个研究问题是 SAFMEDS 是否是流畅地解读心电图 (ECG) 的有效方法。进行了一项试点研究，以确定为实用的随机对照试验（RCT）提供动力所需的样本量。对于随后的随机对照试验，参与者被随机分配到“常规教学”对照组（n = 14）或 SAFMEDS 干预组（n = 13），并在心电图上识别出 15 种心脏疾病（例如，心房颤动、完全性心律失常）。块）有针对性。干预组参与者在八周内努力达到流畅标准的表现被跟踪。在基线和测试后对两组的心电图解读准确率进行了评估。进行ANCOVA来评估干预组和对照组在测试后的表现差异，同时控制参与者的基线表现。在测试后，检查了干预组内达到流利程度的参与者数量。在控制基线性能的影响时，确定了 SAFMEDS 的较大效应量（部分 η2 = .67）。测试后，干预组的表现显着优于对照组（M = 61.5%；SD = 12.1%）（M = 31.6%；SD = 12.5%，p < .001）。总共 13 名干预组参与者中有 7 名达到了流利程度。参与者平均需要 51 分。9 次一分钟试验 (SD = 18.8) 以达到流利程度。 SAFMEDS 为医学教育中的常规教学提供了有用的辅助手段。进一步的研究可以评估学习是否保留、稳定以及转移到临床实践。