An Educational Trading Card Game for a Medical Immunology Course

Medical students face cognitive overload and disengagement due to the rigorous de-mands of their education. This study evaluates the impact of Medimon Learning Cards, a mnemonic-based trading card game, on engagement, satisfaction, and knowledge retention in a medical immunology course. These cards incorporate visual and linguistic mnemonics, coupled with strategic gameplay, to create an interactive learning experience. The study was conducted with 39 first-year medical students enrolled in an immunology course, divided into experimental and control groups. The experimental group received the Medimon Learning Cards and participated in a structured play session, while both groups received identical in-class instruction. Results from the Situational Interest Survey for Multimedia revealed high engagement and satisfaction among the experimental group, with students expressing enthusiasm for expanding the cards to other topics. However, no significant differences were observed in knowledge retention or exam performance between the groups. These findings suggest that Medimon Learning Cards serve as a valuable supplementary tool to enhance motivation and interest, though their impact on cognitive outcomes requires further investigation. This study highlights the importance of integrating game-based tools like Medimon Learning Cards into medical education to create engaging and interactive learning environments.