G. Reid⁽¹⁾, J.D. Denstedt⁽²⁾, S. Das⁽³⁾, R. deVere White⁽⁴⁾, G. Brock⁽⁵⁾, C. Evans⁽⁶⁾, G. McLorie⁽⁷⁾, J. Parker^(8)
(1)(5)Lawson Research Institute - London. Canada
⁽²⁾University of Western Ontario - London. Canada
^(3)(4)(6)University of California, Davis School of Medicine - Sacramento. United States
⁽⁷⁾University of Toronto - Toronto. Canada
⁽⁸⁾Axia Health - Calgary. Canada

	[Health Informatics]	[Urology]

Computer and IP-based Continuing Medical Education

The ability of computers and IP-based networks to combine, control, reduce cost of distribution and incorporate communication technologies into digital media make computer aided continuing medical education appealing. Technology innovations, including CD-ROM, World Wide Web (WWW) and WWW-enhanced television, provide immediate, inexpensive access to visual, audio and text information relevant to medical education, all accessed at the convenience of individual learners. When designed following sound principles of teacher-centered and student-centered learning, these technologies make possible learning programs of relevance to communities of learners around the world who share a common and ongoing need to learn ^(93,94,95).

As is the case with non-digital approaches to teacher-centered and student-centered continuing medical education, comprehensive research of how best to utilize computer and IP-based technologies to create meaningful continuing medical education programs is lacking. Campbell and Johnson ⁽⁹⁶⁾ found 258 articles within the medical literature wherein computer aided learning programs were described and, while 77% of these articles cited positive effects on teaching and learning, few referred to established education principles (24%) or education theory (7%).

They conclude that the majority of such programs, while positive, is grounded more in common sense than in sound education principles. They call for clarification and standardization of these principles which, when applied to well designed research, would lead to an evidence-based medical education system responsive to an ever changing health care environment.

Yet, consistent with the "common sense" advantages of such learning approaches, health care professionals around the world are increasingly accessing computer and IP-based learning and communication and are willing to pay for such access to high quality education programs. There is evidence to suggest that the instantaneous access to information and learning afforded by these technologies favorably impact patient care and length of hospital stay ^(97,98,99). Further, initial studies indicate that the impact of computer-based education on short- and long-term learning is equal to, if not greater than, more conventional means of learning including a variety of non-digital teacher-centered and student-centered approaches ^{(100,101,102,103,104,105)}.

The table below contains an abbreviated list of reviews of computer and IP-based programs developed across a number of specialties:

Table 5. A Sample of Computer and IP-based Medical Education Programs

Specialty	Technology	Purpose	Reference
Physiology	IP IP	Pulmonary CME Study of Membrane Potentials	99 105
Oral Health	IP IP Computer, IP IP IP IP	Problem Based Periodontology Maxillofacial Surgery Technique Dentistry Training Basic and Continuing Education Continuing Education Information Exchange	106 107 108 109 110, 111 112
Neurology	IP IP IP Computer	Information Exchange, Retrieval Email Discussion List Pediatric Neurology Resources 3 Dimensional Imaging	113, 114 115 116 117
Anesthesiology	IP Computer, IP	Quality of Internet Mailing Lists CME for Anesthesiologists	118 119
Urology	IP IP Computer IP IP	Information Sharing Medical Student Training Medical Student Training Image and Information Sharing Information Sharing in Practice	120 121 122 123 124

 

 

While there are many other such programs across these and other specialties, generally speaking, these programs are developed for relatively small, localized audiences and are integrated within more complete and conventionally delivered curricula. As such, they tend to fulfill locally-defined learning objectives and do not tend to the need to establish global standards of continuing health professional education and practice.

Discussion Board

Any Comment to this presentation?

[ABSTRACT] [Introduction] [Current Trends in Global Internet Usage] [Quality of IP-Based Health-Related Information] [Evaluation of Continuing Medical Education] [Computer and IP-based Continuing Medical Education] [Global Center for Knowledge in Urology] [References] [Discussion Board]

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	[Health Informatics]	[Urology]

G. Reid, J.D. Denstedt, S. Das, R. deVere White, G. Brock, C. Evans, G. McLorie, J. Parker
Copyright © 1999-2000. All rights reserved.

Last update: 15/01/00