Observation and Diagnostic Skills of Medical StudentsNCT07921225
Teaching Effects of VTS Curriculum in Chinese Medical Students
A study testing VTS-based elective course in people with Observation and Diagnostic Skills of Medical Students, run by Peking Union Medical College Hospital at 1 site in China.
Trial summary
A prospective controlled study evaluating teaching effects of Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS) curriculum in Chinese medical students Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Any age
- Conditions the study is for
- Observation and Diagnostic Skills of Medical Students
- What is being tested?
- VTS-based elective course
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 67 participants
- Where
- 1 siteChina
- Study dates
- 16 Sep 2025to 18 Sep 2026
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages Any age
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Child, Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- medical students undertaking the clinical diagnostics course prior to commencing their clinical internship
- medical students who voluntarily took the VTS elective course
Who cannot join
- medical students who did not complete the full 22 class hours
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
Official title: A Prospective Controlled Study Evaluating Teaching Effects of Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS) Curriculum in Chinese Medical Students
A prospective controlled study evaluating teaching effects of Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS) curriculum in Chinese medical students
Read the detailed description
In this prospective controlled study, a 22-hour VTS-based art appreciation and interpretation elective course was delivered to clinical medical students (intervention group); students who did not enroll in the elective course served as controls.
- Being tested
- VTS-based elective course
- Keywords
- medical education, Visual Thinking Strategies, Art-based learning
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
VTS-based elective courseOther
The course comprised 22 class hours over a 3-month period. Its content centered on establishing a foundational knowledge framework integrating three strands - art history, Western historical and cultural context, and the language of art - alongside structured observation and discussion of specific artworks (VTS).
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Intervention group | Other | The intervention group received VTS instruction delivered within the elective course "Art Appreciation and Interpretation" during the autumn semester of 2025. The course comprised 22 class hours over a 3-month period Receives: Other: VTS-based elective course |
| Control group | No intervention | Medical students in the control group received no art-appreciation instruction and followed the standard medical curriculum. |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Composite total score of test paper
Standardized assessments were administered anonymously online at three time points. Each paper carried a total of 100 marks, divided equally between an art module and a medical module (50 marks each). Both modules consisted of single-choice questions (objective score, 30 marks) and open-ended free-response questions (subjective score, 20 marks).
Measured: From enrollment to 9 months after the completion of course
Secondary outcomes (1)
Total medical score of test paper
Score for the medical module (maximum 50 marks)
Measured: From enrollment to 9 months after the completion of course
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted6 Nov 2026
- Study start16 Sep 2025
- Primary completion1 Sep 2026
- Study completion18 Sep 2026
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Observation and Diagnostic Skills of Medical StudentsStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by Peking Union Medical College HospitalThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Other
- Allocation
- Non-randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Model description
- In this prospective controlled study, a 22-hour VTS-based elective course was delivered to clinical medical students (intervention group); students who did not enroll in the elective course served as controls.
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 67 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Peking Union Medical College Hospital
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07921225
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- I-25ZM0071
- Status last verified
- Oct 2026
- First submitted
- 29 Oct 2026
- Last updated
- 6 Nov 2026
- Results posted
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 6 Nov 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- A Prospective Controlled Study Evaluating Teaching Effects of Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS) Curriculum in Chinese Medical Students
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07921225
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- I-25ZM0071
- Keywords
- medical education, Visual Thinking Strategies, Art-based learning
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 67 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Peking Union Medical College HospitalUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 16 Sep 2025 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 1 Sep 2026 (actual)
- Study completion
- 18 Sep 2026 (actual)
- First posted
- 6 Nov 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
A prospective controlled study evaluating teaching effects of Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS) curriculum in Chinese medical students
Detailed description
In this prospective controlled study, a 22-hour VTS-based art appreciation and interpretation elective course was delivered to clinical medical students (intervention group); students who did not enroll in the elective course served as controls.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Other
- Allocation
- Non-randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 2
- Model description
- In this prospective controlled study, a 22-hour VTS-based elective course was delivered to clinical medical students (intervention group); students who did not enroll in the elective course served as controls.
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Intervention group | Other | Other: VTS-based elective courseThe intervention group received VTS instruction delivered within the elective course "Art Appreciation and Interpretation" during the autumn semester of 2025. The course comprised 22 class hours over a 3-month period |
| Control group | No intervention | –Medical students in the control group received no art-appreciation instruction and followed the standard medical curriculum. |
Who may qualify
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Child, Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (2 listed)
- medical students undertaking the clinical diagnostics course prior to commencing their clinical internship
- medical students who voluntarily took the VTS elective course
Key exclusion criteria (1 listed)
- medical students who did not complete the full 22 class hours
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| VTS-based elective courseThe course comprised 22 class hours over a 3-month period. Its content centered on establishing a foundational knowledge framework integrating three strands - art history, Western historical and cultural context, and the language of art - alongside structured observation and discussion of specific artworks (VTS). | Other | Intervention group |
Primary outcome
Composite total score of test paper
Time frame: From enrollment to 9 months after the completion of course
Standardized assessments were administered anonymously online at three time points. Each paper carried a total of 100 marks, divided equally between an art module and a medical module (50 marks each). Both modules consisted of single-choice questions (objective score, 30 marks) and open-ended free-response questions (subjective score, 20 marks).
1 secondary outcome
Total medical score of test paper
Time frame: From enrollment to 9 months after the completion of course
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 6 Nov 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
The record lists no contact. Use the official record to reach the sponsor.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing VTS-based elective course in people with Observation and Diagnostic Skills of Medical Students, run by Peking Union Medical College Hospital at 1 site in China.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 2 inclusion and 1 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 6 Nov 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in China. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Composite total score of test paper (time frame: From enrollment to 9 months after the completion of course). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 6 Nov 2026.