Effect of E-Learning on Appropriate Antibiotic Prescribing by Medical Students: A Quasi-Experimental Study during COVID-19 Pandemic

Aims: This study aimed to determine the effect of E-learning on the understanding of appropriate antibiotic prescribing (AAP) by medical students and to assess their satisfaction with this method. Materials and Methods: This quasi-experimental study was conducted among the physiopathology students of Kashan University of Medical Sciences in the first and second semesters of 2020-2021. Students were divided into E-learning education as an intervention group (IG) and face-to-face education as a control group (CG). After the final examination, the mean scores of students in both groups were compared. In addition, the level of students' satisfaction in the IG with E-learning method was assessed using a standard questionnaire. Data were analyzed using SPSS 22. Results: We included 85 and 47 students in the CG and IG. The mean and standard deviation (SD) of the understanding score about antibiotics in the E-learning group and the face-to-face education group were 18.8 +/- 1.26 and 17.16 +/- 1.93 out of 19, respectively, which were statistically significantly different (P = 0.004). The mean and SD of the overall score of satisfaction of the students in the IG was 85.48 +/- 23.08 out of 130 points (medium level). Furthermore, the level of satisfaction of male students was significantly higher than female students (P = 0.009). Conclusion: E-learning was effective in improving the process of educating students to the AAP. This education method can be used as an alternative or complementary of face-to-face education, especially in critical conditions such as the pandemic of diseases including COVID-19.