Preparing medical students for drug-related clinical decisions: a study evaluating the impact of digital decision support training

ISRCTN	ISRCTN12503667
DOI	https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN12503667
Sponsor	Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Funder	Investigator initiated and funded

Submission date: 24/06/2026
Registration date: 24/06/2026
Last edited: 24/06/2026

Recruitment status: No longer recruiting
Overall study status: Completed
Condition category: Other

Prospectively registered

Protocol

Statistical analysis plan

Results

Individual participant data

Record updated in last year

Plain English summary of protocol

Not provided at time of registration

Contact information

Dr Hadar Arien Zakay
Public, Scientific, Principal investigator

School of Pharmacy
Faculty of Medicine
Ein Karem
Jerusalem
9112102
Israel

ORCID ID	0009-0000-0711-8667
Phone	+972 (0)523594275
Email	hadar.az@mail.huji.ac.il

Study information

Primary study design	Interventional
Allocation	Non-randomized controlled trial
Masking	Open (masking not used)
Control	Historical
Assignment	Parallel
Purpose	Educational intervention
Scientific title	Among preclinical medical students, does a structured pedagogical approach to Clinical Decision Support Systems training integrated into the medical curriculum, compared to no formal CDSS training, improve preparedness for drug-related clinical decisions, including confidence, digital literacy, and sustained evidence-based resource use during clinical rotations?
Study acronym	CDSS-MED
Study objectives
Ethics approval(s)	Approved 05/12/2023, Ethics Committee for Non-Medical Human Research (Faculty of Natural Sciences, Medicine and Dentistry, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Ein Karem, Jerusalem, 9112102, Israel; +972 (0)26586625; ethicmed@mail.huji.ac.il), ref: 05122023
Health condition(s) or problem(s) studied	Medical education and clinical decision-making in pharmacology
Intervention	Preclinical medical students are invited to voluntarily enroll in an elective 'CDSS in Pharmacology' course integrating structured training in Clinical Decision Support Systems (CDSS), including UpToDate® and Micromedex®. The course combines guided instruction, case-based assignments, and supervised practice with evidence-based databases, enabling students to apply CDSS in clinically relevant drug-related scenarios. Students who choose to enroll complete anonymous voluntary surveys at three timepoints: before the course, at course completion, and during clinical rotations (longitudinal follow-up). A comparison group of clinical-year students who did not enroll in the course and a separate group of practicing physicians complete equivalent surveys assessing CDSS use, confidence, and attitudes toward integrating CDSS training into medical curricula. Group assignment is non-randomized and determined by voluntary enrollment in the elective course.
Intervention type	Behavioural
Primary outcome measure(s)	Student confidence in CDSS use measured using an anonymous voluntary survey (Likert scale) at before the course, at course completion, and during clinical rotations Frequency and type of digital resource use measured using an anonymous voluntary survey (Likert scale) at before the course, at course completion, and during clinical rotations Student competence in evidence-based clinical decision-making measured using an anonymous voluntary survey (Likert scale) at before the course, at course completion, and during clinical rotations
Key secondary outcome measure(s)	Attitudes toward CDSS integration in medical curricula measured using an anonymous voluntary survey (Likert scale) at a single timepoint (cross-sectional), measured separately in physicians and non-participant students Frequency and type of digital resource use among non-participant students and physicians measured using an anonymous voluntary survey (Likert scale) at a single timepoint (cross-sectional)
Completion date	19/03/2024

Eligibility

Participant type(s)
Age group	Mixed
Lower age limit	20 Years
Upper age limit	99 Years
Sex	All
Target sample size at registration	200
Total final enrolment	200
Key inclusion criteria	1. Medical students enrolled in the Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, in the final preclinical semester (intervention group) or clinical years (comparison group) 2. Licensed physicians practicing in Israel 3. Voluntary participation with informed consent
Key exclusion criteria	1. Medical students who had previously completed the 'CDSS in Pharmacology'course (for the comparison group) 2. Non-medical students or non-physicians
Date of first enrolment	13/03/2019
Date of final enrolment	29/06/2023

Locations

Countries of recruitment

Israel

Study participating centres

Results and Publications

Individual participant data (IPD) Intention to share	No

Editorial Notes

24/06/2026: Study's existence confirmed by the Ethics Committee for Non-Medical Human Research.