Effectiveness of Integrated Multimodal Digital and Specimen-Based Neuroanatomy Teaching Among Medical Students

September 24, 2026 updated by: Khin Ei Ei Saw

Effectiveness of Integrated Multimodal Digital and Specimen-Based Neuroanatomy Teaching in Improving Knowledge, Reducing Perceived Learning Difficulty, and Enhancing Confidence Among Medical Students

This three-phase randomized controlled educational intervention trial will evaluate the effectiveness of integrated multimodal digital and specimen-based neuroanatomy teaching compared with traditional specimen-based revision among Medical Year 2 students. The study will assess knowledge, perceived learning difficulty, and confidence in a difficult neuroanatomy topic identified through a baseline assessment.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Not yet recruiting

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

The study will be conducted in three phases. In Phase 1, students will receive traditional neuroanatomy teaching followed by a 50-item single-best-answer assessment, topic difficulty ratings, and confidence ratings to identify the most challenging neuroanatomy topic.

In Phase 2, students will be randomly allocated after stratification based on previous module academic performance. Group A will receive an integrated multimodal digital and specimen-based neuroanatomy teaching session, while Group B will receive a traditional specimen-based revision session as a wait-list control. Both groups will receive a 90-minute structured teaching session covering identical learning objectives.

In Phase 3, students will complete an immediate post-intervention 20-item single-best-answer assessment and confidence questionnaire. Group B will subsequently receive the integrated multimodal digital and specimen-based teaching intervention.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
114

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Locations

  • Burma
    • Shan State
      • Taunggyi, Shan State, Burma, 06017
        • University of Medicine, Taunggyi
        • Contact:

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Child
  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Medical Year 2 students enrolled in the Neurology and Mental Health Module.
  • Students who provide informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Students absent during intervention sessions.
  • Students who do not complete both pre- and post-tests.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Other
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: Integrated Multimodal Digital and Specimen-Based Teaching

A 90-minute structured integrated multimodal digital and specimen-based neuroanatomy teaching session using virtual dissection, three-dimensional digital visualization, pathway animations/drawing/mapping, sectional CT/MRI imaging, physical 3D models, specimen-based learning, interactive learning activities, and clinical case integration.
Behavioral: Integrated Multimodal Digital and Specimen-Based Neuroanatomy Teaching

Participants assigned to the intervention group will receive integrated multimodal neuroanatomy teaching using multiple complementary learning modalities. The intervention will incorporate 3D virtual dissection and anatomical segmentation using the Asclepius virtual dissection table, physical anatomical specimens and three-dimensional models, pathway animation and instructor-guided drawing/mapping, two-dimensional CT/MRI brain cross-sectional images, and case-based learning (CBL). These modalities will be integrated around the selected difficult neuroanatomy topic to facilitate three-dimensional spatial understanding, anatomical relationships, pathway organization, and clinical application.

The intervention will be delivered by the same instructor using a standardized teaching session. Participants in the wait-list control group will receive the integrated multimodal neuroanatomy teaching after completion of the post-intervention assessment.
Active Comparator: Traditional Specimen-Based Revision

A 90-minute structured traditional specimen-based revision session consisting of a brief review lecture and demonstration of formalin-fixed anatomical specimens, following standardized learning objectives and teaching materials.
Behavioral: Traditional Specimen-Based Revision

Participants assigned to the active comparator group will receive traditional specimen-based neuroanatomy revision using formalin-fixed anatomical specimens and instructor-guided review of relevant anatomical structures and relationships. The session will follow the conventional specimen-based teaching approach used for neuroanatomy revision.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Post-intervention knowledge score
Time Frame: Immediately after the intervention session

Score on the 20-item Single-Best-Answer Assessment of the selected difficult neuroanatomy topic, ranging from 0 to 20, with higher scores indicating better knowledge.
Immediately after the intervention session

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Confidence level
Time Frame: Immediately after the intervention session

Participants' confidence in learning the selected difficult neuroanatomy topic, assessed using a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 1 to 5, with higher scores indicating greater confidence.
Immediately after the intervention session
Perceived learning difficulty
Time Frame: Immediately after the intervention session

Participants' perceived difficulty of the selected neuroanatomy topic, assessed using a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 1 to 5, with higher scores indicating greater perceived difficulty.
Immediately after the intervention session

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Khin Ei Ei Saw

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Estimated)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
September 29, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
October 2, 2026

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
October 2, 2026

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
September 19, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
September 19, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
September 25, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
September 29, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
September 24, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
September 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • 3-IR-ERC-UMTGI-1-2026

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

IPD Plan Description

Individual participant data will not be shared because the study involves individual-level educational data from medical students. Although the data will be de-identified for analysis, access to the participant-level dataset will be restricted to the research team to protect participant privacy and confidentiality.

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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