Improving Search Strategy for Identifying Urgent Conditions on the Chest X-ray

Improving Search Strategy for Identifying Urgent Conditions on the Chest X-ray. (Original Title in French: Améliorer la stratégie de Recherche et l'Identification Des Conditions Urgentes Sur Une Radiographie Pulmonaire: Impact de l'Utilisation d'un Logiciel Interactif de Lecture systématique)

Status

UNKNOWN

Phases

Phase 3

Study type

Interventional

Source

ClinicalTrials.gov

Registry ID

NCT01883570

Enrollment

Registered

2013-06-21

Start date

2013-06-30

Completion date

2013-08-31

Last updated

2013-06-21

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Using Expert Visual Search Strategy to Train Students to Read the Chest X-ray

Keywords

visual search strategy, training, chest x-ray

Brief summary

Currently, teaching X-ray interpretation to medical students is not standardized, and is generally not very effective. Objective: The goal of our study is to evaluate whether directly teaching an expert search strategy for x-ray interpretation to 3d year medical students is effective. Methods: * An expert's visual search strategy was recorded using a gaze-tracking device. The search strategy was then reproduced using a dynamic cursor moving across the corresponding chest x-ray, and incorporated into a teaching program accessible via the internet. * Participants are 3rd year medical students who will be randomized into two groups. The experimental group will have access to the teaching program as described. The control group will have access to the same x-rays but not the expert's search strategy. * At the end of the study period the investigators will collect performance data (the participants' accuracy at reading a series of chest x-rays) and process data (using gaze-tracking to evaluate the participants' search strategies); the experimental and control groups will be compared. Expected results: The investigators expect the group trained in expert search strategy to show improved accuracy at reading chest x-rays, and an improvement in their visual search strategy

Interventions

OTHERtraining in visual search strategy

OTHERaccess to a library of chest x-rays without search strategy

Study design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Intervention model

PARALLEL

Masking

SINGLE (Investigator)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender

ALL

Healthy volunteers

Yes

Inclusion criteria

* 3rd year medical students enrolled in medicine or surgery rotations during the planned study period

Design outcomes

Primary

Measure	Time frame	Description
Improvement in medical student's visual search strategy at reading a chest x-ray	2 months	participants enrolled in the experimental group will be trained to learn the expert's search strategy for reading a chest x-ray. We hypothesize that by the end of the study period they will show an improved visual search strategy over students who were not trained in visual search but were taught through standard methods (interaction with clinician-educators during their clerkship rotations)

Countries

Canada

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026