‘Learning ENT’ by YouTube videos: perceptions of third professional MBBS students

Abstract

Background: Advancement in technology has revolutionized the concept of teaching and learning medicine. YouTube is a popular and easily accessible tool to teach medical subjects. This study was done to evaluate the students’ perception of YouTube learning in ENT. Methods: This was a prospective study where a subject specific YouTube channel, ‘Learning ENT’, created by 1st author, was used to upload videos on selected topics in ENT for third professional MBBS part-1 students (n=145). Students were instructed to access the said videos from time to time throughout the year. At the end of the academic year the perceptions of students were taken and analyzed. Results: 124 students responded to the online questionnaire. 123 (99.2%) watched YouTube videos on their smart phones. 70 students (56.5%) accessed the YouTube videos for ENT topics very often. 122 (98.4%) students felt that these videos made them understand the topics better. Similarly, 115 (92.7%) students felt that these videos enhanced their interest in the subject. 114 (91.9%) students felt that these videos were more beneficial for practical topics in ENT. 61 students (49.2%) perceived that the duration of videos should be 5-10 minutes. Almost equal number (47.6%) students felt that 10-15 minutes duration is appropriate. 79 students (63.7%) perceived that watching videos made the topic easy to understand and also interesting. 71 students (57.2 %) felt that there were no limitations of the said channel. Conclusions: When integrated with other teaching learning methods, YouTube can be an effective tool to facilitate ENT learning.