Retrieval practice and spaced learning: preventing loss of knowledge in Dutch medical sciences students in an ecologically valid setting.

INTRODUCTION: Knowledge, once acquired, degrades over time. Exams that contain questions related to previously acquired knowledge ('retrieval practice questions') may promote retrieval practice and spaced learning, and subsequently prevent knowledge loss. To investigate this hypothesis, we compare the score of retrieval practice questions to regular questions in exams of a two-year (bio)medical study program. METHODS: The two-year "Mechanisms of Health and Disease"-program for biomedical sciences and medical students in Nijmegen (the Netherlands) contains 14 spaced exams of 80 questions each.... Mehr ...