Effects of Mastery-Based and Traditional Learning Models on Scientific Knowledge and Practical Skills in Neurosurgery

Background: The mastery learning model (MLM) is an active learning approach that enhances students’ scientific knowledge and practical skills in surgical technology (ST). Given that more than half of the courses in this field are clinical, full mastery of the material can significantly improve practical learning. To date, no study has investigated the impact of MLM on neurosurgery education. Mastery learning is a teaching method in which students must achieve a predetermined level of mastery in each unit before progressing to the next. The present study aimed to assess and compare the effects of MLM and the traditional learning model (TLM) on the development of neurosurgical knowledge and related practical skills in ST students in Hamadan, Iran.Methods: This semi-experimental study employed a pre-test– post-test two-group design. The study population consisted of 32 operating room students from Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, recruited through census sampling. A pre-designed questionnaire (for assessing neurosurgical knowledge) and a checklist (for evaluating practical skills) were validated using CVR and CVI indices. Data were analyzed using SPSS v.16, employing the paired t-test, the Kolmogorov–Smirnov test for normality, the Wilcoxon test, and the Mann–Whitney test.Results: The mean scores of neurosurgical practical skills increased significantly (P<0.05) in post-test ST students (26.44±5.01) compared to the pre-test (18.91±3.85). Similarly, neurosurgical knowledge scores increased significantly (P<0.05) in the post-test (48.38±5.21) compared to the pre-test (34.69±8.85).Conclusion: Both neurosurgical knowledge and practical skills in ST students can be substantially improved through the use of MLM. This model is recommended as an effective alternative to TLM for neurosurgery education.