Use of a Gamification Platform to Teach Tropical Medicine: A Pilot Study

Tropical medicine students often request testing preparation materials, but existing resources are limited. We conducted a pilot study of a gamification platform developed at the University of Alabama at Birmingham to build a formative question bank for examination preparation and to teach tropical medicine concepts in two courses: an American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene diploma course and a condensed military-focused tropical medicine course. National Board of Medical Examiners-style questions were delivered as formative reinforcement of lecture material. A postcourse survey assessed user satisfaction, engagement with gamification elements, and the influence of peer competition on motivation. Forty-one learners participated, and 20 provided survey feedback. Learners reported high overall satisfaction, ease of use, and perceived knowledge retention. Most engaged primarily for examination preparation and to increase general tropical medicine knowledge. Our learners were less motivated by digital reward badges and peer competition than reported in prior gamification studies. We conclude that this gamified formative question bank is well regarded and could serve as a resource for other tropical medicine programs, although further study is needed.