Abstract Background and aims Medical residency involves high workloads and intense practical schedules, often limiting the time available for theoretical study. This imbalance can compromise the management of time-dependent emergencies, such as acute stroke. This study aims to evaluate the preliminary effectiveness of the Spaced Retrieval (SR) methodology in enhancing knowledge retention and consolidation among medical residents regarding acute stroke protocols. Methods This is an ongoing quantitative, analytical, quasi-experimental study conducted at a public university hospital. The participants include residents from Neurology, Internal Medicine, Emergency Medicine, and Intensive Care. The educational intervention is structured in four stages: 1) an introductory lecture; 2) guided study based on clinical cases; 3) a meeting to address doubts; and 4) the application of serial questionnaires with structured feedback at intervals of seven and ten days. Results To date, 12 residents have participated in the study (median age 27 years; 50% female). Preliminary results show an average test score of 90.4% on the seventh day and 95.2% on the tenth day, suggesting progressive improvement in knowledge retention. However, adherence remains a challenge, with only 50% (n=6) of participants completing all stages of the protocol thus far. Qualitatively, residents perceive the methodology as an effective way to optimize study time and consolidate complex theoretical concepts. These partial data suggest that SR is a low-resource, flexible, and effective tool for stroke education, although strategies to improve longitudinal adherence are still being evaluated as the study progresses. Conflict of interest Nothing to disclose
Valente et al. (Fri,) studied this question.