Effect of E‑Learning on Appropriate Antibiotic Prescribing by Medical Students: A Quasi‑Experimental Study during COVID‑19 Pandemic

Aims: This study aimed to determine the effect of E‑learning on the understanding of appropriate antibiotic prescribing (AAP) by medical students and to assess their satisfaction with this method. Materials and Methods: This quasi‑experimental study was conducted among the physiopathology students of Kashan University of Medical Sciences in the first and second semesters of 2020–2021. Students were divided into E‑learning education as an intervention group (IG) and face‑to‑face education as a control group (CG). After the final examination, the mean scores of students in both groups were compared. In addition, the level of students’ satisfaction in the IG with E‑learning method was assessed using a standard questionnaire. Data were analyzed using SPSS 22. Results: We included 85 and 47 students in the CG and IG. The mean and standard deviation (SD) of the understanding score about antibiotics in the E‑learning group and the face‑to‑face education group were 18.8 ± 1.26 and 17.16 ± 1.93 out of 19, respectively, which were statistically significantly different (P = 0.004). The mean and SD of the overall score of satisfaction of the students in the IG was 85.48 ± 23.08 out of 130 points (medium level). Furthermore, the level of satisfaction of male students was significantly higher than female students (P = 0.009). Conclusion: E‑learning was effective in improving the process of educating students to the AAP. This education method can be used as an alternative or complementary of face‑to‑face education, especially in critical conditions such as the pandemic of diseases including COVID‑19.