Evaluation of four-classroom integrated teaching mode in Chinese Materia Medica course education among medical undergraduate students

BACKGROUND Chinese Materia Medica is a core course in traditional Chinese medicine. However, the ability of medical undergraduate students to use dialectical medication and sense of innovation were low. OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to construct a four-classroom integrated teaching model (FCITM) and evaluate its teaching effectiveness. METHODS We constructed a FCITM on the basis of the traditional teaching mode (TTM). Two hundred forty-six undergraduate students from 4 classes in 2023 traditional Chinese medicine at Anhui University of Chinese Medicine were included and divided into a control group (121 students) and a trial group (125 students). The control group adopted the TTM, whereas the trial group adopted the FCITM. The teaching effectiveness of the FCITM was evaluated through multisection assessment and questionnaire surveys. RESULTS We constructed the FCITM from the teaching classroom, practical classroom, discussion classroom and expanded classroom. No significant difference was found in the population composition or baseline score between the two groups of students. The trial group’s students scored significantly higher than did the control group in basic knowledge, dialectical medication, drug identification and total score. Compared with TTM, FCITM increased the total score by approximately 6.613 (95% confidence interval: 5.596~7.631). Comments from questionnaire surveys have shown that students have high evaluations of FCITM. CONCLUSIONS Conclusions: This study revealed that the FCITM significantly enhanced the effectiveness of the Chinese Materia Medica course for medical undergraduate students. CLINICALTRIAL The number of clinical trials was not applicable.