Introduction

In a groundbreaking initiative published in CHEST Pulmonary, a new study reveals that microlearning can significantly enhance healthcare professionals’ understanding of asthma. The CHEST Curriculum Pathway for Asthma has emerged as a solution to address existing knowledge gaps in this critical field.

Curriculum Development

Launched in September 2022, the CHEST Curriculum is designed around the Kern 6-step model of curriculum development, which emphasizes thorough problem identification, targeted needs assessment, clear goals and objectives, effective educational strategies, implementation, and evaluation. This innovative online program consolidates vital asthma information into microlearning modules, allowing healthcare professionals to engage with the content in manageable segments.

Participant Engagement and Demographics

Over the course of the program, which concluded on February 28, 2023, an impressive 523 unique participants engaged with the curriculum. The majority, approximately 62.1% (325 participants), were attending physicians, with 22.0% being fellows-in-training and 10.1% non-physician healthcare professionals. Notably, a significant portion of participants—43.0%—had less than five years of practice experience, highlighting the program's reach among early-career professionals. Most participants were members of the CHEST organization, primarily focused on pulmonary medicine (79.0%) and critical care medicine (53.9%).

Completion Rates and Engagement

Despite the high interest, the study noted a low completion rate, with only 2% (11 participants) finishing the entire curriculum. However, over 50% (262 participants) managed to complete at least one chapter, leading to a total of 836 logged learning instances and an overall engagement time of 232 hours and 43 minutes.

Participant Satisfaction and Educational Outcomes

Participant satisfaction levels were almost universally high. Among those who completed a chapter's post-course survey, an astounding 97.3% (255 participants) expressed a positive impression of the curriculum, while 98.1% (258) found the interface user-friendly. Educational alignment was affirmed by 99.2% (260) of respondents, and 97.3% (255) confirmed that the learning objectives were met. Evidence of improved knowledge was also observed, with participants correctly answering about 68% of pre-test questions and 82% on post-test assessments.

Video Content Engagement

Interestingly, when it came to video content, participants watched an average of 82.8% of the videos. Shorter videos achieved higher completion rates, suggesting that brevity may encourage engagement. However, the study noted that later sections received fewer views compared to earlier ones, indicating potential challenges in retaining attention throughout the course.

Limitations and Considerations

While the results are promising, the authors did acknowledge limitations, such as the low overall completion rate, which complicates comparisons between participants, and the relatively small sample size that could introduce biases. Additionally, the CHEST organization lacked access to electronic medical records, preventing an objective assessment of real-world practice change or self-reported improvements among healthcare professionals.

Conclusion

In summary, this cutting-edge online initiative by CHEST represents a pivotal advancement in asthma education for healthcare professionals. As the healthcare sector continues to evolve, such innovative educational strategies will be crucial in fostering a well-informed and capable workforce ready to tackle the challenges of asthma management.

Call to Action

Don’t miss out on the future of asthma education—discover how microlearning can change your practice today!