Precision in practice
How digital learning is saving lives in sport
BMJ Learning has been a trusted provider of healthcare education for over 20 years, helping health professionals worldwide enhance their skills and improve patient outcomes.
A 2018 study published in Heart, Performance of the BMJ Learning training modules for electrocardiogram interpretation in athletes, provides compelling evidence of this impact. The study found that clinicians who completed the ECG modules showed significantly greater accuracy in identifying cardiac abnormalities in athletes, a critical skill in preventing sudden cardiac death.
The study provides robust evidence that BMJ Learning’s ECG interpretation modules significantly improved diagnostic precision and adherence to international guidelines, enabling healthcare professionals to confidently distinguish between normal athlete heart adaptations and potentially life-threatening conditions. These gains translated into real-world clinical practice change, reinforcing BMJ Learning’s role in advancing evidence-based, guideline-aligned care.
Participants who completed the training modules demonstrated significantly improved ECG interpretation skills, with improved sensitivity and specificity for detecting potentially dangerous cardiac abnormalities in athletes.
Professor Jonathan Drezner
Director of the UW Medicine Center for Sports Cardiology at the University of Washington and editor in chief of the British Journal of Sports Medicine
The study’s relevance continues to grow; six years on, it continues to be cited across biomedical science, education, and psychology—20% of citations occurred in 2024 alone, demonstrating its ongoing influence.
Beyond individual learning, this research has informed international policy. Findings from Drezner’s work and the BMJ Learning modules contributed to the International Recommendations for Electrocardiographic Interpretation in Athletes, which are now adopted by leading sports and cardiology bodies. The module is also referenced in training protocols, reinforcing its educational and clinical value.
As BMJ Group continues to innovate with AI-powered tools like BMJ OnExam PACES, this study highlights the enduring role of BMJ Learning in shaping confident, capable clinicians who deliver safer care year after year.
