Use targeted educational interventions — continuing education, dissection courses, generative retrieval and integrated anatomy training — to sustain basic science retention¶

Strategy · All strategies
Evidence · 5 claims (5 for) · 1 study (1 review), q3 · 0 of 1 report an effect size · 5 claims rest on one study

Description¶

The review recommends targeted educational interventions and continuous professional development to mitigate knowledge decay and maintain clinical competence. It states that "Effective instructional interventions such as continuing education, dissection courses, generative retrieval, and integrated anatomy training enhance knowledge retention and application". Curriculum reforms integrating basic sciences with clinical training are described as vital for building a robust foundation for clinical practice.

Design Implications¶

Context¶

Requirements¶

• Interventions must be tailored to practitioners' specialty and career stage, and measuring retention helps identify gaps guiding targeted interventions

Constraints¶

• The review cautions that findings are predominantly from Saudi Arabia and cross-sectional designs, limiting generalisability

Target Learners¶

• medical practitioners
• postgraduate medical trainees

Target Learning Goals¶

• long-term retention of basic science knowledge
• clinical reasoning
• clinical competence maintenance

Affordances¶

• Encapsulated Knowledge Basic Science Clinical Expertise

Claims¶

• Age, curriculum type and retention interval predict basic science knowledge retention [+M]
• Basic science knowledge scores decline with increasing years post-graduation [+M]
• Generative retrieval improves anatomy knowledge retention in anaesthesiology residents at one week and one month [+M]
• Rehearsal significantly optimises retention of basic science knowledge among medical practitioners [+M]
• Basic science retention varies by discipline, with anatomy retained best and microbiology lowest [+M]

Related Strategies¶

• Sustain doctoral methodological competence through continued practice, feedback, and authentic application rather than isolated short courses
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• Design CPR education as an ongoing, reinforcement-based process combining spaced intervals, feedback, and cognitive components
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Examples¶

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Key Sources¶

• Albert Francis A., Seidu Abdul-Aziz, Mason Hannah M., Anderson Emma, Alele Faith O., Heggarty Paula, Hollins Aaron, Gupta Tarun Sen, Hays Richard B., McArthur Lawrie, Malau-Aduli Bunmi S. (2024). A systematic review of medical practitioners' retention and application of basic sciences to clinical practice. BMC Medical Education. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-024-05952-8