Effectiveness of an MDT-CDIO integrated teaching model in orthopedic clinical education: a controlled study

Orthopedic clinical education requires the integration of theoretical knowledge, practical skills, and multidisciplinary clinical decision-making. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a multidisciplinary team (MDT)-integrated Conceive–Design–Implement–Operate (CDIO) teaching model in orthopedic clinical education. In this prospective randomized controlled study, 60 orthopedic interns at Lanzhou University Second Hospital, enrolled between March and August 2024, were randomly assigned to either an experimental group ( n = 30) or a control group ( n = 30). The experimental group received orthopedic instruction based on the MDT-CDIO model, whereas the control group received traditional teaching. Teaching effectiveness was evaluated after the instructional intervention using theoretical examinations, practical skills assessments, and structured questionnaires. The experimental group achieved significantly higher scores than the control group in the theoretical assessment (47.23 ± 0.72 vs. 45.40 ± 1.16), practical assessment (46.03 ± 0.76 vs. 44.63 ± 0.89), and overall performance (93.18 ± 1.00 vs. 90.03 ± 1.37; all P < 0.001). In the questionnaire assessment, the experimental group also reported significantly higher scores across all evaluated dimensions than the control group (all P < 0.001). The MDT-CDIO integrated teaching model appears to be a valuable approach for orthopedic clinical education and may improve students’ learning outcomes, clinical practice skills, and perceived educational experience. Further large-scale, multicenter studies are warranted to validate its educational value and generalizability.