Technology Acceptance Model in Medical Education: Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND

With the growing use of technology in medical education, a framework is needed to evaluate learners' and educators' acceptance of these technologies. In this context, the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) offers a valuable theoretical framework, providing insights into the determinants influencing users' acceptance and adoption of technology.

OBJECTIVE

This review aims to systematically synthesize the body of research in medical education that uses the TAM.

METHODS

An electronic literature search was conducted using the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) approach in February 2024 on the Embase, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, PubMed, and Web of Science databases, yielding 680 articles. Upon elimination of duplicates and applying the exclusion criteria, a total of 39 articles were retained. To evaluate the quality of the study, the Medical Education Research Study Quality Instrument score was calculated for each analysis with a qualitative component.

RESULTS

Studies using TAM in medical education began in 2010, with the model's application relatively rare up to 2016. Most of the studies were quantitative, operationalizing the TAM as a survey instrument, but it was also used as a research framework in qualitative data analysis. Structural equation modeling, descriptive analysis, and correlation analysis were the most common data analysis approaches in the studies. E-learning and mobile learning were the predominant learning interventions explored, but there were indications that novel learning technologies such as augmented reality, virtual reality, and 3D printing were being investigated.

CONCLUSIONS

The study's findings reveal an expanding scholarly engagement with using TAM in medical education. Although the TAM has been mostly used as a survey instrument, it can also be adapted as a qualitative research framework to analyze data. This systematic review provides a foundation for future research to understand the factors influencing users' acceptance of technology, especially in medical education.