Graphic Novels and Comics in Undergraduate and Graduate Medical Students Education: A Scoping Review
There is an increasing use of graphic novels and comics (GnCs) in medical education, especially—but not only—to provide students with a vicarious learning experience in some areas of clinical medicine (palliative care, difficult communication, and rare diseases). This scoping review aimed to answer...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-10-01
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| Series: | European Journal of Investigation in Health, Psychology and Education |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2254-9625/13/10/160 |
| _version_ | 1797574074383204352 |
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| author | Fabrizio Consorti Sara Fiorucci Gianfranco Martucci Silvia Lai |
| author_facet | Fabrizio Consorti Sara Fiorucci Gianfranco Martucci Silvia Lai |
| author_sort | Fabrizio Consorti |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | There is an increasing use of graphic novels and comics (GnCs) in medical education, especially—but not only—to provide students with a vicarious learning experience in some areas of clinical medicine (palliative care, difficult communication, and rare diseases). This scoping review aimed to answer questions about how GnCs are used, the theories underlying their use, and the learning outcomes. Twenty-nine articles were selected from bibliographic databases and analyzed. A thematic analysis revealed four many themes: learning outcomes, students’ reactions, theories and methods, and use of GnCs as vicarious learning. GnCs can support the achievement of cognitive outcomes, as well as soft skills and professionalism. The reactions were engagement and amusement, but drawing comics was also perceived as a protected space to express concerns. GnCs proved to be a possible way to provide a vicarious experience for learning. We found two classes of theories on the use of GnCs: psychological theories based on the dual concurrent coding of text and images and semiotics theories on the interpretation of signs. All the studies but two were single arm and observational, quantitative, qualitative, or mixed. These results suggest that further high-quality research on the use of GnC in medical training is worthwhile. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T21:18:01Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-db43edfbe375490d9bf1f0b12d50af1e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2174-8144 2254-9625 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T21:18:01Z |
| publishDate | 2023-10-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | European Journal of Investigation in Health, Psychology and Education |
| spelling | doaj.art-db43edfbe375490d9bf1f0b12d50af1e2023-11-19T16:18:01ZengMDPI AGEuropean Journal of Investigation in Health, Psychology and Education2174-81442254-96252023-10-0113102262227510.3390/ejihpe13100160Graphic Novels and Comics in Undergraduate and Graduate Medical Students Education: A Scoping ReviewFabrizio Consorti0Sara Fiorucci1Gianfranco Martucci2Silvia Lai3Department of General Surgery, University Sapienza of Rome, 00185 Rome, ItalyIndependent Researcher, 00100 Rome, ItalyLocal Network of Palliative Care, AUSL Modena, 41121 Modena, ItalyDepartment of Translational and Precision Medicine, University Sapienza of Rome, 00185 Rome, ItalyThere is an increasing use of graphic novels and comics (GnCs) in medical education, especially—but not only—to provide students with a vicarious learning experience in some areas of clinical medicine (palliative care, difficult communication, and rare diseases). This scoping review aimed to answer questions about how GnCs are used, the theories underlying their use, and the learning outcomes. Twenty-nine articles were selected from bibliographic databases and analyzed. A thematic analysis revealed four many themes: learning outcomes, students’ reactions, theories and methods, and use of GnCs as vicarious learning. GnCs can support the achievement of cognitive outcomes, as well as soft skills and professionalism. The reactions were engagement and amusement, but drawing comics was also perceived as a protected space to express concerns. GnCs proved to be a possible way to provide a vicarious experience for learning. We found two classes of theories on the use of GnCs: psychological theories based on the dual concurrent coding of text and images and semiotics theories on the interpretation of signs. All the studies but two were single arm and observational, quantitative, qualitative, or mixed. These results suggest that further high-quality research on the use of GnC in medical training is worthwhile.https://www.mdpi.com/2254-9625/13/10/160graphic novelscomicsvicarious learningundergraduate medical educationgraduate medical education |
| spellingShingle | Fabrizio Consorti Sara Fiorucci Gianfranco Martucci Silvia Lai Graphic Novels and Comics in Undergraduate and Graduate Medical Students Education: A Scoping Review European Journal of Investigation in Health, Psychology and Education graphic novels comics vicarious learning undergraduate medical education graduate medical education |
| title | Graphic Novels and Comics in Undergraduate and Graduate Medical Students Education: A Scoping Review |
| title_full | Graphic Novels and Comics in Undergraduate and Graduate Medical Students Education: A Scoping Review |
| title_fullStr | Graphic Novels and Comics in Undergraduate and Graduate Medical Students Education: A Scoping Review |
| title_full_unstemmed | Graphic Novels and Comics in Undergraduate and Graduate Medical Students Education: A Scoping Review |
| title_short | Graphic Novels and Comics in Undergraduate and Graduate Medical Students Education: A Scoping Review |
| title_sort | graphic novels and comics in undergraduate and graduate medical students education a scoping review |
| topic | graphic novels comics vicarious learning undergraduate medical education graduate medical education |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2254-9625/13/10/160 |
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