Application of blended learning approach in clinical skills to stimulate active learning attitudes and improve clinical practice among medical students.

Background The recent application of blended educational methods has impacted medical education and has drawn attention to a new teaching method. This teaching style presents unique opportunities and challenges. We investigated the effects of blended learning and traditional teaching methods on clinical skill development. Methods We sorted 200 medical students from Tongji Medical College at Huazhong University of Science and Technology into a control or experimental group. The control group was taught with a traditional lecture-based learning method and the experimental group was taught using a blended learning method. The two groups were compared after training to assess their theoretical and practical differences. A student satisfaction survey was given to participants in both groups. Results The results of the experimental group's theoretical and practical assessments were found to be significantly higher (p < 0.05) than that of the control group. The student satisfaction survey showed that blended learning was significantly more effective for acquiring relevant knowledge, enhancing student-centered learning and improving clinical practice. Conclusions Blended learning may address deficiencies in clinical skills, make up for limited time and space, and ensure learning efficiency and quality.