Comparison of teaching basic electrocardiographic concepts with and without ECGSIM, an interactive program for electrocardiography

The electrocardiogram (ECG) is an important diagnostic tool in the management of cardiac disease. Currently, most methods of introducing electrocardiography in medical schools rely on books, papers, and clinical observation (classical method). As more interactive software become available, it would be instructive for students to learn the ECG this way. This study compares the effectiveness of teaching the basics of electrocardiography using the classical method versus an interactive program, ECGSIM. Thirty-five students were randomized into two groups (classical and ECGSIM) and were taught the basic concepts of the ECG. This study demonstrates that teaching electrocardiography using ECGSIM is superior to traditional methods alone, indicating a potentially large role for interactive programs in teaching electrocardiography.