Closing the Numeracy Gap in Medication Safety: Impact of a safeMedicate intervention in Undergraduate Medical Education

Background and Purpose: Medication errors, often linked to inadequate numeracy skills, pose significant risks to patient safety. To address this, Kent and Medway Medical School (KMMS) became the first UK medical school to integrate safeMedicate, a validated e-learning platform, into its Year 1 undergraduate medical curriculum. This study aimed to evaluate its impact on student engagement, numeracy competence, and confidence. Experimental Approach: The entire cohort of 111 first-year medical students (2024 intake) was introduced to the safeMedicate Essential Skills module within the Year 1 module titled Professional Development and Person-Centred Practice. Engagement was assessed via platform analytics (logins, time, completion), numeracy competence through a formative online test, and perceptions via an anonymous survey. Key Results: Engagement was high, with students averaging 9.1 logins and 124.2 minutes on the platform. Completion rates were near universal (95%). The average test score was 85.4%, with 75% of students achieving ≥85%. Competency analysis showed strong performance in conceptual, calculation, and technical measurement skills. Survey responses indicated that 89% found safeMedicate helpful for test preparation and 83% reported increased confidence in numeracy. Students valued the clarity, usability, and practice-based learning approach. Conclusions and Implications: Early integration of safeMedicate demonstrated improved engagement, numeracy performance, and student confidence. Although limited to one institution and formative assessment, findings support continued use of structured digital tools to strengthen medication safety education. Embedding safeMedicate into undergraduate curricula may reduce prescribing errors and better prepare future doctors for safe clinical practice.