Cytopathology whole slide images and adaptive tutorials for senior medical students: a randomized crossover trial

Diagnostic Pathology

Gary M. Velan³  Elizabeth L. Salisbury¹  Wendy M. Pryor²  Rakesh K. Kumar³  Simone L. Van Es³ 

[1] Department of Anatomical Pathology, Prince of Wales Hospital, Randwick 2031, Australia;Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia, Surry Hills 2010, Australia;Department of Pathology, School of Medical Sciences, The University of New South Wales, Sydney NSW 2052, Australia

关键词: Pathology education;    WSI;    Whole slide images;    Virtual slides;    Virtual microscopy;    Digital microscopy;    Virtual microscopy adaptive tutorials;    Cytopathology;   

Others  :  1235691
DOI  :  10.1186/s13000-016-0452-z

 received in 2015-08-03, accepted in 2016-01-01,  发布年份 2016

【 摘 要 】

Background

Diagnostic cytopathology is an essential part of clinical decision-making. However, due to a combination of factors including curriculum reform and shortage of pathologists to teach introductory cytopathology, this area of pathology receives little or no formal attention in most medical school curricula. We have previously described the successful use of efficient and effective digital learning resources, including whole slide images (WSI) and virtual microscopy adaptive tutorials (VMATs), to teach cytopathology to pathology specialist trainees – a group that had prior exposure to cytopathology in their day to day practice. Consequently, in the current study we attempted to demonstrate the efficiency and efficacy of this eLearning resource in a cohort of senior medical students that was completely naïve to the subject matter (cytopathology).

Methods

We evaluated both the quantitative and qualitative impact of these digital educational materials for learning cytopathology compared with existing resources (e-textbooks and online atlases). The senior medical students were recruited from The University of New South Wales Australia for a randomized cross-over trial. Online assessments, administered after each arm of the trial, contained questions which related directly to a whole slide image. Two categories of questions in the assessments (focusing on either diagnosis or identification of cellular features) were utilized to determine efficacy. User experience and perceptions of efficiency were evaluated using online questionnaires containing Likert scale items and open-ended questions.

Results

For this cohort of senior medical students, virtual microscopy adaptive tutorials (VMATs) proved to be at least as effective as existing digital resources for learning cytopathology. Importantly, virtual microscopy adaptive tutorials had superior efficacy in facilitating accurate diagnosis on whole slide images. Student perceptions of VMATs were positive, particularly regarding the immediate feedback, interactivity and equity of learning which this learning resource provides.

Conclusions

Virtual microscopy adaptive tutorials have the potential to improve the efficacy of learning microscopic pathology for medical students. The enhanced learning experience provided by these eLearning tools merits further investigation of their utility for other cohorts, including specialist trainees.

【 授权许可】

   
2016 Van Es et al.

【 图 表 】

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