Interactive card games that use discussion, repetition and active participation to help healthcare students and professionals understand and recall clinical terminology.
The Hats Game format is purposefully designed to make learners think, retrieve, communicate, collaborate and revisit knowledge in different ways. Published research shows that this approach can deliver measurable improvements in knowledge, performance and longer-term retention.
Medical students and healthcare professionals are expected to recognise and recall hundreds of clinical signs, symptoms and medical terms. Reading textbooks and lecture notes is essential, but recalling that knowledge quickly in real clinical situations requires something more.
"The more actively we learn, the more we remember."
With a Hats Game players explain, debate, mime and repeatedly retrieve medical terminology, turning complex concepts into memorable learning experiences that naturally reinforce understanding. Instead of simply recognising the answer on a page, learners actively retrieve it from memory - the very skill they'll rely on in practice.
104 of 107 students (97%) improved or maintained their knowledge score after playing.
Neurology players subsequently achieved significantly higher examination scores than non-players.
The Hats Game learning approach was developed by Professor Bertrand Degos, Head of Neurology Department at Avicenne University Hospital, part of the Greater Paris University Hospitals.
The original Neurological Hat Game was evaluated with medical students at Sorbonne University. Published research demonstrates significant improvements in student knowledge following the game, as well as substantially higher exam performance compared to non-participants.
Focus Games has partnered with Professor Degos and AP-HP to further develop these evidence-based learning resources and make them available to medical students and educators internationally.
Students learn by describing, discussing and recalling clinical terminology rather than passively reading notes.
Small group gameplay encourages communication, teamwork and shared problem solving.
Repeated exposure to the same terminology across three rounds naturally strengthens recall and retention.
Simple rules mean anyone can facilitate a session with minimal preparation in universities, hospitals or teaching centres.
Students learn by describing, discussing and recalling clinical terminology rather than passively reading notes.
Small group gameplay encourages communication, teamwork and shared problem solving.
Repeated exposure to the same terminology across three rounds naturally strengthens recall and retention.
Simple rules mean anyone can facilitate a session with minimal preparation in universities, hospitals or teaching centres.
Psychiatric Hats helps students and healthcare professionals become familiar with the terminology used to recognise and describe psychiatric signs and symptoms. Using rapid-fire teamwork and repeated recall, players strengthen their understanding of psychiatric semiology while developing confidence in recognising key clinical concepts.
Clément A, Delage R, Chollier M, et al. BMC Medical Education 20 (2020) 373 - Prospective study on a fast-track training in psychiatry for medical students: the psychiatric hat game.
Psychiatric Hats helps students and healthcare professionals become familiar with the terminology used to recognise and describe psychiatric signs and symptoms. Using rapid-fire teamwork and repeated recall, players strengthen their understanding of psychiatric semiology while developing confidence in recognising key clinical concepts.
Clément A, Delage R, Chollier M, et al. BMC Medical Education 20 (2020) 373 - Prospective study on a fast-track training in psychiatry for medical students: the psychiatric hat game.
Geriatric Hats helps learners recognise and remember the signs and symptoms commonly encountered in older adults. Through collaborative gameplay and repeated exposure to important clinical terminology, the game provides an enjoyable way to reinforce geriatric semiology for students and healthcare professionals.
Neurological Hats is an excellent introduction to learning neurological semiology sign-by-sign and symptom-by-symptom. Students who played Neurological Hats game had better results in the final exam.1 Students increased their marks on the day of playing the game but also a few weeks later at the final neurological semiology exam as compared to students who did not participate in the Neurological Hats game.
1 R e v u e n e u r o l o g i q u e 1 7 5 ( 2 0 1 9 ) 5 2 8 – 5 3 3 - The ‘‘Neurological Hat Game’’: A fun way to learn the neurological semiology
Neurological Hats is an excellent introduction to learning neurological semiology sign-by-sign and symptom-by-symptom. Students who played Neurological Hats game had better results in the final exam.1 Students increased their marks on the day of playing the game but also a few weeks later at the final neurological semiology exam as compared to students who did not participate in the Neurological Hats game.
1 R e v u e n e u r o l o g i q u e 1 7 5 ( 2 0 1 9 ) 5 2 8 – 5 3 3 - The ‘‘Neurological Hat Game’’: A fun way to learn the neurological semiology