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Document Type

Original Research

Abstract

Abstract

Study Objectives

The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a didactic lecture-based training on mass casualty incident (MCI) triage performance among first- and second-year medical students. Specifically, the study aimed to measure improvements in overall triage accuracy, as well as reductions in over-triage and under-triage rates for both adult and pediatric patients.

Methods

This study employed a pre-test/post-test design involving 31 participants. Participants completed an electronic pre-test consisting of 30 patient scenarios (20 adult and 10 pediatric) before attending a 40-minute didactic lecture on MCI triage principles. The lecture covered the identification of MCI scenarios, the roles of first responders and physicians, and the application of the START (adult) and JumpSTART (pediatric) triage algorithms. Following the lecture, participants completed the same assessment as a post-test. Statistical analysis was performed using paired-samples t-tests to evaluate changes in triage performance metrics.

Results

The analysis revealed significant improvements in several key areas. Overall Correct Triage Decisions increased from pre- (M = 17.71, SD = 3.07) to post-intervention (M = 20.52, SD = 3.99), t(30) = -4.37, p < .001, with a large effect size (Cohen’s d = -0.79). Overall Accuracy Percentage also improved significantly, t(30) = -4.37, p < .001, d = -0.77. Adult Correct Triage and Adult Accuracy Percentage showed significant gains, t(30) = -4.68 and -4.67 respectively, both p < .001, with large effect sizes (d ≈ -0.84). Pediatric Correct Triage and Pediatric Accuracy Percentage improved significantly, t(30) = -3.66, p < .001, d ≈ -0.66.

Conclusions

The findings of this study indicate that didactic lecture-based training significantly enhances MCI triage accuracy and reduces under-triage rates among first- and second-year medical students. These results support the integration of MCI triage training into early medical education curricula to improve preparedness for real-world disaster scenarios. Future training programs should consider incorporating high-fidelity simulations, longitudinal curriculum integration, and interprofessional training modules to further enhance the effectiveness of MCI triage education.

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