Harry Potter and the Osteopathic Medical School: Creating a Harry Potter-Themed Day as a High-Yield Review for Final Exams

Med Sci Educ. 2021 Jan 13;31(2):819-825. doi: 10.1007/s40670-021-01204-2. eCollection 2021 Apr.

Abstract

Incorporating contemporary fiction into educational activities that are interactive and memorable creates a positive learning environment for students. The current article describes how our medical school created a Harry Potter-themed educational event to review didactic material before a final exam. Students were sorted into Hogwarts houses and collected house points in the 8 themed classrooms that reviewed material for the individual disciplines. The event also included a Quidditch tournament and a Yule Ball. The event received positive feedback from students, encouraging the school's faculty to look for other opportunities to create similar educational experiences during preclinical medical education.

Keywords: Active learning; Exam preparation and reviews; Gamification; Harry Potter; Osteopathic medical education; Wellness activities.