The development of the Chinese economy and improvements in the standard of living has resulted in an increasing demand for qualified and higher-level dermatologists. Providing dermatologist training has been difficult owing to the diverse and complex types of dermatology (1).

Therefore, it is necessary to implement a standardized training system for residents to cultivate clinical physicians with solid medical theoretical knowledge and clinical practice skills as well as the ability to engage in autonomous learning, clinical thinking, and clinical application; thus, they would be well equipped to independently and normatively engage in the diagnosis and treatment of common diseases in their profession (2). The traditional standardized training process for residents is mainly based on a teacher-centered model that helps teachers to conduct lectures; however, it should be noted that training residents generally have low enthusiasm for autonomous learning and insufficient independent clinical diagnosis and treatment abilities (3). To improve their clinical thinking, diagnostic, and treatment abilities, it is thus necessary to explore new teaching models.

Micro-videos are short online videos with a maximum length of 20 min, which help explain relevant knowledge points (key points, difficulties, and doubts) (4). Before class, training residents can watch micro-videos through online platforms to learn relevant knowledge points that they can consult with their teachers in class. The concept of the flipped classroom is based on a student-centered teaching model that transfers knowledge before class and turns the classroom into a place for interaction and exchange of knowledge between teachers and students. The rationale behind the flipped classroom methodology is to increase student engagement with content, increase and improve faculty contact time with students, and enhance learning (5, 6). A new teaching model of flipped classrooms based on micro-videos has been applied to health professional education (7–9). The current study was designed to examine the effect of the flipped classroom teaching model, based on the micro-videos used during the standardized training of dermatological residents in China; we performed a randomized controlled study to investigate whether this new teaching model could improve the teaching effects related to theoretical knowledge, clinical practice skills, and residents’ comprehensive ability.

The standardized training of resident physicians is a specialized training to deepen medical graduates’ theoretical knowledge and clinical practice skills within their area of specialization prior to becoming qualified doctors (3). At present, most clinical teachers at hospitals still employ the traditional didactic-lecture-based classroom teaching style that focuses on one-sided “indoctrination.” Training residents passively accept the information presented, and the method is not conducive to improving residents’ knowledge and skills (3). To improve teaching effects, it is necessary to explore new teaching models.

In this study, we explored the effects of the micro-video-based flipped classroom teaching model on the standardized training of dermatological residents in China. The effectiveness of this teaching model was evaluated through the tests conducted to assess residents’ theoretical knowledge and clinical practice skills and the questionnaire survey; the results were compared with those obtained for the traditional teaching model. The results of the theoretical knowledge and clinical practice skills tests indicated that the learning outcomes of residents within a flipped classroom based on micro-videos was significantly better than that of residents within a traditional teaching setting (p < 0.001). Furthermore, the results of the teaching feedback questionnaire indicated that the experimental group had a significant increase in their interest in learning, mastery of teaching content, communication skills, expression skills, clinical practice skills, autonomous learning, clinical thinking, clinical application, and team cooperation (p < 0.05). Consistent with our findings, previous studies have shown that the teaching outcomes resulting from a flipped classroom model based on micro-videos was significantly better than those of the traditional didactic-lecture-based classroom for the education of health professionals in fields such as pharmacology (10), emergency medicine (11), neuroscience (12), and anesthesiology (13).

The reason for the flipped classroom teaching effect being superior to the traditional teaching effect could be attributed to multiple factors. First, vivid micro-videos can present boring and complex medical content in a vivid form, stimulating students’ interest in learning and enthusiasm for autonomous learning (10, 14). Second, it gives the students the opportunity to make full use of their time in the classroom by taking part in applied activities and learning, and thus, gain better comprehensive ability. After watching the micro-videos prior to attending class, training residents enter the classroom with questions that they are eager to answer, thereby encouraging them to actively participate in classroom activities (15). In class, the teacher assigns the collected students’ questions to each student group for discussion. Meanwhile, the teacher asks several questions based on the learning contents of the pre-class micro-videos. Each group discusses the questions proposed by the teacher. The teacher provides timely guidance and answers questions, ultimately achieving problem solving, which not only helps stimulate the students’ thinking (16) and enhance their ability to analyze and solve problems (17), but also helps to deepen their understanding and mastery of clinical knowledge (18). Simultaneously, through interaction, cooperation, and exchange among students, as well as between students and teachers, students’ communication and team cooperation abilities are cultivated (15). Third, a flipped classroom could effectively solve problems arising from significant differences in the theoretical level and practice abilities among the students. The use of the traditional lecture-based classroom teaching model by teachers attempts to seek a “one size fits all” solution, which is difficult to achieve when trying to meet the needs of students with different learning abilities; especially those with lower levels of ability, who cannot keep up with the rest of the class. Hence, flipped classrooms can effectively solve this problem, whereby prior to attending class, students can practice self-learning using micro-videos at their own pace. If the contents are unclear or complex, they can repeatedly watch and consult relevant materials until they fully understand them before moving on to the next section. In this way, the students’ level of classroom learning is roughly the same, reducing the level of learning difference among students. For questions that arise during self-study, group discussions among students and communication between students and the teacher, can help to ultimately solve the problem, and achieve the effect of “teaching according to one’s aptitude” (19).

The current study has a number of limitations. The evaluation of the flipped classroom model is partially performed via the participating residents’ self-assessment, such as communication skills. Therefore, an updated evaluation system, which includes measures of core competencies other than knowledge acquisition, will be necessary to better evaluate the effectiveness of the flipped classroom model (9).

In conclusion, the flipped classroom teaching model based on micro-videos, used during the standardized training of dermatological residents, helped to improve the teaching effects related to residents’ theoretical knowledge, clinical practice skills, and comprehensive ability. Hence, further improvements to the application of the teaching model can be made in future.

The original contributions presented in the study are included in the article/supplementary material, further inquiries can be directed to the corresponding author.

The studies involving humans were approved by the Institutional Ethical Committee of the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University. The studies were conducted in accordance with the local legislation and institutional requirements. The participants provided their written informed consent to participate in this study.

YL conceived this study, conducted micro-video-based flipped classroom teaching and traditional lecture-based classroom teaching, and performed the statistical analysis. YL and X-fT participated in the design and management. YL and HC enrolled the participants. All authors contributed to the article and approved the submitted version.