[Evaluation of radiological teaching programs in the Internet]

Radiology Teaching Files: an Assessment of Their Role and Desired Features Based on a National Survey

A radiology teaching file (TF) is a system containing a collection of cases with teaching value. Given the wide variety of TF solutions available, we conducted a national survey to better understand the need for TFs, TF features desired by users and their current implementation. A 28-question survey was created which explored TF implementation, utilization, and preferences among respondents. The survey was emailed to residents and faculty throughout the USA, with a request for program coordinators to forward the survey to their departments. The survey was completed by 396 respondents from 115 different institutions. These respondents included 60% residents, 21% attendings (non-program directors), 12% program directors, 5% fellows, and 1% medical students. TFs were assigned to one of three categories: personal TFs, shared in-house TFs, and public TFs. Seventy-six percent of respondents kept a personal TF using a variety of media, and 67% used a shared in-house TF. Of the public TFs used, the most popular were those requiring paid subscriptions. The features respondents valued most provided efficient querying of cases, simulated basic PACS functionality, enabled self-directed learning, and facilitated case submissions. There is a trend toward utilizing electronic media for TFs. The media utilized should be understood and reviewed to ensure PHI is properly secured. Contemporary users demand a high degree of functionality from TF solutions, and use both in-house and commercial products to meet their needs.

[Case-based interactive PACS learning: introduction of a new concept for radiological education of students]

PURPOSE

Medical curricula are currently being reformed in order to establish superordinated learning objectives, including, e.g., diagnostic, therapeutic and preventive competences. This requires a shifting from traditional teaching methods towards interactive and case-based teaching concepts. Conceptions, initial experiences and student evaluations of a novel radiological course Co-operative Learning In Clinical Radiology (CLICR) are presented in this article.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A novel radiological teaching course (CLICR course), which combines different innovative teaching elements, was established and integrated into the medical curriculum. Radiological case vignettes were created for three clinical teaching modules. By using a PC with PACS (Picture Archiving and Communication System) access, web-based databases and the CASUS platform, a problem-oriented, case-based and independent way of learning was supported as an adjunct to the well established radiological courses and lectures. Student evaluations of the novel CLICR course and the radiological block course were compared.

RESULTS

Student evaluations of the novel CLICR course were significantly better compared to the conventional radiological block course. Of the participating students 52% gave the highest rating for the novel CLICR course concerning the endpoint overall satisfaction as compared to 3% of students for the conventional block course. The innovative interactive concept of the course and the opportunity to use a web-based database were favorably accepted by the students. Of the students 95% rated the novel course concept as a substantial gain for the medical curriculum and 95% also commented that interactive working with the PACS and a web-based database (82%) promoted learning and understanding.

CONCLUSION

Interactive, case-based teaching concepts such as the presented CLICR course are considered by both students and teachers as useful extensions to the radiological course program. These concepts fit well into competence-oriented curricula.

Web-based training in German university eye hospitals - Education 2.0?

PURPOSE

To analyse web-based training in ophthalmology offered by German university eye hospitals.

METHODS

In January 2010 the websites of all 36 German university hospitals were searched for information provided for visitors, students and doctors alike. We evaluated the offer in terms of quantity and quality.

RESULTS

All websites could be accessed at the time of the study. 28 pages provided information for students and doctors, one page only for students, three exclusively for doctors. Four pages didn't offer any information for these target groups. The websites offered information on events like congresses or students curricular education, there were also material for download for these events or for other purposes. We found complex e-learning-platforms on 9 pages. These dealt with special ophthalmological topics in a didactic arrangement. In spite of the extensive possibilities offered by the technology of Web 2.0, many conceivable tools were only rarely made available. It was not always possible to determine if the information provided was up-to-date, very often the last actualization of the content was long ago. On one page the date for the last change was stated as 2004.

CONCLUSION

Currently there are 9 functional e-learning-applications offered by German university eye hospitals. Two additional hospitals present links to a project of the German Ophthalmological Society. There was a considerable variation in quantity and quality. No website made use of crediting successful studying, e.g. with CME-points or OSCE-credits. All German university eye hospitals present themselves in the World Wide Web. However, the lack of modern, technical as well as didactical state-of-the-art learning applications is alarming as it leaves an essential medium of today's communication unused.

Introduction of e-learning in dental radiology reveals significantly improved results in final examination

PURPOSE

Because a traditionally instructed dental radiology lecture course is very time-consuming and labour-intensive, online courseware, including an interactive-learning module, was implemented to support the lectures. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the perceptions of students who have worked with web-based courseware as well as the effect on their results in final examinations.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Users (n(3+4)=138) had access to the e-program from any networked computer at any time. Two groups (n(3)=71, n(4)=67) had to pass a final exam after using the e-course. Results were compared with two groups (n(1)=42, n(2)=48) who had studied the same content by attending traditional lectures. In addition a survey of the students was statistically evaluated.

RESULTS

Most of the respondents reported a positive attitude towards e-learning and would have appreciated more access to computer-assisted instruction. Two years after initiating the e-course the failure rate in the final examination dropped significantly, from 40% to less than 2%.

CONCLUSIONS

The very positive response to the e-program and improved test scores demonstrated the effectiveness of our e-course as a learning aid. Interactive modules in step with clinical practice provided learning that is not achieved by traditional teaching methods alone. To what extent staff savings are possible is part of a further study.

[Digital teaching archive. Concept, implementation, and experiences in a university setting]

Film-based teaching files require a substantial investment in human, logistic, and financial resources. The combination of computer and network technology facilitates the workflow integration of distributing radiologic teaching cases within an institution (intranet) or via the World Wide Web (Internet). A digital teaching file (DTF) should include the following basic functions: image import from different sources and of different formats, editing of imported images, uniform case classification, quality control (peer review), a controlled access of different user groups (in-house and external), and an efficient retrieval strategy. The portable network graphics image format (PNG) is especially suitable for DTFs because of several features: pixel support, 2D-interlacing, gamma correction, and lossless compression. The American College of Radiology (ACR) "Index for Radiological Diagnoses" is hierarchically organized and thus an ideal classification system for a DTF. Computer-based training (CBT) in radiology is described in numerous publications, from supplementing traditional learning methods to certified education via the Internet. Attractiveness of a CBT application can be increased by integration of graphical and interactive elements but makes workflow integration of daily case input more difficult. Our DTF was built with established Internet instruments and integrated into a heterogeneous PACS/RIS environment. It facilitates a quick transfer (DICOM_Send) of selected images at the time of interpretation to the DTF and access to the DTF application at any time anywhere within the university hospital intranet employing a standard web browser. A DTF is a small but important building block in an institutional strategy of knowledge management.

[How to cope with the demands of the new "Approbation Regulation" (AR) by radiology-related interdisciplinary courses. The Erlangen model]

BACKGROUND

To create radiology-related interdisciplinary programs for the undergraduate education in terms of the new "Approbation Regulation".

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Medical students developed in collaboration with radiologists and clinical partners virtual, radiology-related interdisciplinary training courses for different fields. Students and teachers evaluated the acceptance of the programs' structure and content as well as the possibility to replace the radiologist partly during interdisciplinary lessons.

RESULTS

Six target group oriented virtual, radiology-related interdisciplinary training courses were developed which will relieve the implementation of the new AR's demands for more interdisciplinary education in small groups and the dreaded shortage of personnel.

CONCLUSION

By the use of web- and CDRom-based interdisciplinary course models different fields of medicine and diagnostic radiology can be bridged in the sense of the new AR's demands as well as manpower in radiology can be saved.

www.PedRad.info, the first bilingual case-oriented publication platform for pediatric radiology

On the Internet, there are few pediatric radiology databases. The most important and complete Web site is PediatricRadiology.com, which provides many radiological links but does not have its own database. We present an Internet project called PedRad.info (also known as Kinderradiologie-Online). The open-source, case-oriented publication platform publishes validated pediatric radiology findings on the Internet. A comparable on-line program, even for adult radiology, does not exist, so this tool is a pioneer in the area of Web-based information technology for medical and radiological communities.

On the use and value of new media and how medical students assess their effectiveness in learning anatomy

The new media have become widely used tools in medical instruction today. But are they regarded as useful by students training to become medical doctors? What are students' most important criteria for a good CD-ROM or valuable Internet resources? To answer these questions, and to obtain definite data on the use of new media, we distributed a questionnaire to preclinical medical and dental students of the Johannes Gutenberg University in Mainz, Germany. The evaluation of 397 questionnaires demonstrates that 94.9% of the students use personal computers; 91.6% of the 85.8% who own a computer have access to the Internet. The Internet is used at least once a week by 70.1% of students for private and by 59.9% for study purposes. Offers of course-relevant material (Workshop Anatomy for the Internet) are of major interest. CD-ROMs with anatomy applications are used by 58.9% of the students. The subjective effectiveness regarding various aspects of learning using books versus CD-ROMs is compared and the students' views of the importance of different features of electronic media are outlined, including course-relevant high-resolution and quality material, key word search, state-of-the-art information, and clearly laid-out tables. The findings of this survey demonstrate high student demand for computer-aided instruction and anatomy applications offered on the Internet and on CD-ROMs. The students' main focus of interest was found to be examination-relevant material and supplemental study material for courses offered locally. The present results may serve as a basis for the development of valuable educational aids.