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COLA (Conferences On-Line Allergy) at 10 Years—Evolution of an Online Fellowship Curriculum
Abstract
Online learning has been present since the early days of the Internet. As with any new technology, users look to make their life easier and to save time. Experts in medical education are no different than other users. They want to adapt new technologies to their fullest. Medical educators have been challenged with keeping education interesting and up to date, while maximizing their resources. The challenges with any online educational program include being able to reach large numbers of learners, having content that is relevant and timely, and having it available thorough many different formats to suit the user. There are many examples of online learning programs in all fields of medicine and many specific to Allergy/Immunology. In this review, we describe a form of real-time videoconferencing referred to as Conferences On-Line Allergy (COLA), which was developed at Children's Mercy Hospital and Clinics. This program, which started as a once a month webinar, has transformed into a well-known curriculum used by many Allergy/Immunology training programs across the United States. It provides not only live interactive conferences but also a library of recorded lectures and workshops that can be used at the learner's convenience. Taking advantage of the generosity of many volunteer presenters, it allows sharing of resources and provides benefits to the Allergy/Immunology community.
... Вступ А лергодерматози є алергічними захворю ваннями шкіри, найбільш поширені з яких: простий та алергічний контактні дерма тити, атопічний дерматит, різні форми екземи, гостра й хронічна алергічна кропив'янка, наб ряк Квінке, токсикодермії, багатоформна ексу дативна еритема (синдром Стівенса-Джонсо на), гострий епідермальний некроліз (синдром Лаєлла) [2,5,9,11]. Клінічний перебіг усіх алер годерматозів супроводжується свербежем, хоча ступінь вираженості його варіює залежно від нозології [1,3,4,6,8,12]. ...
... Тимусний стромальний лімфопоетин, що продукується кератиноцитами, сприяє ініціації імунної від повіді, індукує міграцію клітин Лангерганса в лімфатичні вузли. Експресія клітинами Лан герганса рецепторів для IgE в осіб, схильних до алергії, забезпечує активну презентацію Т лім фоцитам навіть мінімальної кількості антигену [2,6,9]. Запальні активовані дендритні клітини з шкіри мігрують у регіональні лімфатичні вузли, в явикх відбувається подальша презен тація антигену, взаємодія з Th0, які посилено диференціюються з T лімфоцитів хелперів недиференційованих (Th0) у Th2, а також взає модія з В лімфоцитами, їх активація і перетво рення їх у плазмоцити, синтез IgE. ...
... Цитокіни фактора стовбурових клітин (SCF), фактора некрозу пухлин (TNF α) і трансформуючого ростового фактора (TGF) забезпечують пере дачу сигналів з активованих клітин Лангерган са на Т лімфоцити, ініціюючи поляризацію на Тh2. Зростання синтезу Тh2 пов'язане з підви щеною секрецією В лімфоцитами IgE, а також із перевагою секреції інтерлейкінів IL 4, IL 5 і IL 13 [2,5,7,11]. Антитіла та сенсибілізовані лімфоцити повертаються до шкіри, фіксуються на мембранах опасистих клітин і базофілів, що зумовлює їх дегрануляцію, що проявляється клінічно симптомами алергічного запалення і свербежу шкіри [1,6,9,12]. ...
Алергодерматози є алергічними захворюваннями шкіри, найпоширеніші з яких: простий та алергічний контактні дерматити, атопічний дерматит, різні форми екземи, гостра й хронічна алергічна кропив'янка, набряк Квінке, токсикодермії, багатоформна ексудативна еритема (синдром Стівенса–Джонсона), гострий епідермальний некроліз (синдром Лаєлла). Клінічний перебіг усіх алергодерматозів супроводжується свербежем, хоча ступінь вираженості його варіює залежно від нозології. Важливим напрямом терапії алергодерматозів є контроль над свербежем шкіри, який є провідним симптомом. Відповідно до міжнародних програмних документів EAACI (European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology), AAAAI (American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology), PRACТALL (Practical Allergology Consensus Report) з лікування алергодерматозів, провідне місце посідає протисвербіжна терапія, яка потребує індивідуального підходу і щоденного спостереження за станом шкіри. Системна протисвербіжна терапія передбачає застосування таких лікарських засобів: антигістамінні, глюкокортикостероїди, мембраностабілізуючі (кромони), антагоністи лейкотрієнових рецепторів, анти-IgE препарати. Зовнішня протисвербіжна терапія полягає в місцевому застосуванні емолієнтів, топічних глюкокортикостероїдів, топічних інгібіторів кальциневрину, топічних антигістамінних, репарантів та епітелізуючих засобів.
Мета — підвищити обізнаність про особливості етіопатогенетично обґрунтованої протисвербіжної терапії при алергодерматозах у дітей.
Висновки. Лікування свербежу при алергодерматозах різнопланове, складне і багатоступеневе, потребує індивідуального підходу до кожного пацієнта і передбачає: контроль за довкіллям з усунення алергенних і неалергенних факторів, фармакотерапію системну і місцеву, догляд за шкірою. Сучасна протисвербіжна терапія алергодерматозів має бути етіопатогенетичною і впливати на місцеві та системні механізми формування алергічного запалення зі свербежем, її слід проводити диференційовано з урахуванням стадії хвороби, фази запалення і ступеня вираженості шкірних проявів на основі раціонального використання лікарських засобів.
Автор заявляє про відсутність конфлікту інтересів.
... Вступ А лергія є однією з актуальних проблем сучасної медицини. Останніми роками в більшості країн світу значно зростає кількість алергічних хвороб шкіри -алергодерматозів, особливо в дітей [2,4,10]. До алергодерматозів належать: простий та алергічний контактні дер матити, атопічний дерматит, різні форми екзе ми, гостра та хронічна алергічна кропив'янка, набряк Квінке, багатоформна ексудативна ери тема (синдром Стівенса-Джонсона), гострий епідермальний некроліз (синдром Лаєлла), токсикодермії та інші менш поширені дермато зи з алергічними реакціями в основі патогенезу [1,2,3,5,9,12]. ...
... Найпоширенішими формами алергодерматозів у дітей є: атопічний дерматит -50,0%, гостра алергічна кропив'янка -15,0%, токсикодермія -10,0%, хронічна алергічна кропив'янка -5,0%, екзема -5,0%, контактний дерматит -5,0%, значно рідше відмічаються багатоформна ексу дативна еритема (синдром Стівенса-Джонсо на) і гострий епідермальний некроліз (синдром Лаєлла) -менше 1,0% [1,3,5,9,11]. Всесвітня організація охорони здоров'я інформує про зростання кількості хворих на алергодерматози до 1 млн щороку [2,4,[6][7][8]. Незважаючи на численні дослідження алергічних хвороб шкіри в дітей, недостатньо вивчені клініко імуноло гічні особливості алергодерматозів, немає єди ного трактування візуально визначних діагно стичних симптомів алергічної патології шкіри в дітей. Недостатньо вивчені різні порушення морфофункціонального стану шкіри та імунні механізми патогенезу в дітей при алергодерма тозах [2,4,10]. ...
... Незважаючи на численні дослідження алергічних хвороб шкіри в дітей, недостатньо вивчені клініко імуноло гічні особливості алергодерматозів, немає єди ного трактування візуально визначних діагно стичних симптомів алергічної патології шкіри в дітей. Недостатньо вивчені різні порушення морфофункціонального стану шкіри та імунні механізми патогенезу в дітей при алергодерма тозах [2,4,10]. У зв'язку з цим перспективним напрямом досліджень залишається вивчення клінічних і параклінічних особливостей перебі гу алергодерматозів у дітей для виділення можливих діагностичних критеріїв. ...
In recent years, in most countries of the world there is a significant increase in allergic skin diseases — allergodermatoses, especially in children. Allergodermatoses include: simple and allergic contact dermatitis, atopic dermatitis, various forms of eczema, acute and chronic allergic urticaria, Quincke's edema, multiforme exudative erythema (Stevens—Johnson syndrome), acute epidermal necrolysis (Lyell's syndrome), toxicodermias, and other less common dermatoses with allergic reactions in the pathogenesis. Various disorders of the morphofunctional state of the skin and immune mechanisms of pathogenesis in children with allergic dermatoses have been insufficiently studied. That is why a promising area of research is to study clinical and paraclinical features of allergic dermatoses in children for identify possible diagnostic criteria. Purpose — to improve the diagnostic of allergic dermatoses in children, to analyze clinical and paraclinical features of the course of allergic dermatoses, to study the indicators of cellular and humoral immunity, cytokine status, biomarkers of sensitization to allergens. Matherials and methods. 50 children with allergic dermatoses and 32 healthy children of the control group aged 1 to 18 years were examined. General clinical, immunological, allergic and statistical research methods were used. Results. The comprehensive study of the clinical manifestations of various allergic dermatoses in children was done. Allergic dermatoses are characterized by pronounced polymorphism of clinical manifestations, acute or chronic stage course, with the development of concomitant pathological polysystemic changes. In children with allergic dermatoses was detected disorders of the cellular immuneity with the development of an imbalance between individual subpopulations of lymphocytes: a decrease of CD3 with an increase of CD4 and a decrease of CD8, a corresponding increase of the immunoregulatory index, as well as an increase of CD20, CD19 and CD16 in the blood. Analysis of humoral immunity in children with allergic dermatoses showed dyssimmunoglobulinemia with decrease concentration of IgA, a significant increase concentration of IgE and a moderate increase concentration of IgM, IgG in the blood. Also in children with allergic dermatoses an increase concentration of circulating immune complexes and histamine in the blood was found. Conclusions. As the result of the conducted research similar immunological mechanisms in the pathogenesis of allergic skin diseases in children were established, together with etiologically significant factors and the only one mechanism for the formation of sensitization to allergens. The obtained data gave grounds to combine all allergic skin lesions in children into the one nosological group of allergic dermatoses. Dedicated clinical and paraclinical criteria of the diseases will promote to verify timely accurate diagnosis. The study was conducted in accordance with the principles of the Helsinki Declaration. The research protocol was approved by the Local Ethics Committee of the institution mentioned in the work. Informed consent of parents of children was obtained for the research. The authors were declare no conflict of interest. Key words: children, allergy, allergic dermatoses, cellular and humoral immunity, cytokine status.
... We believe this was the first of its type for Allergy education. The original purpose was to provide once monthly CME to practicing allergists [14]. However, scheduling made it difficult to reach a sufficient audience and maintain an adequate number of speakers, so the program transitioned to providing twice weekly didactic sessions for the Allergy and Immunology fellows at Children's Mercy Kansas City. ...
... According to available analytics from YouTube between July 29, 2011-March 8, 2023, the COLA videos have amassed 693,654 total views. By comparison, in late 2019 the channel had 407,500 total views [14]. A significant increase in views occurred following the onset of the pandemic. ...
Purpose of Review
Online resources have become an essential component of medical education. We describe here our long standing but unique approach to providing online education in the specialty of allergy and immunology and its impact.
Recent Findings
In this article, we report the process and updates to our online conferencing curriculum known as Conferences Online in Allergy (COLA). The program was developed at Children’s Mercy Kansas City almost two decades ago for the utilization of fellows in training, as well as practicing allergists. Since its inception viewership has continued to grow.
Summary
COLA has served as a significant resource for both the new and practicing allergists. With rapidly continuing advancements in medical knowledge and technology, coupled with the aftereffects of a pandemic and remote learning, COLA will continue to play a significant role in allergy and immunology medical education.
... In other words, publications published 10 years ago may incur noise for the prediction of a topic in the present year. This finding testifies the assumption that 10 years is s good option to analyze the diffusion and the evolution of bibliographic entities (Dowling et al., 2019;Fiala, 2012;Yang et al., 2019). ...
As a part of innovation in forecasting, scientific topic hotness prediction plays an essential role in dynamic scientific topic assessment and domain knowledge transformation modeling. To improve the topic hotness prediction performance, we propose an innovative model to estimate the co-evolution of scientific topic and bibliographic entities, which leverages a novel dynamic Bibliographic Knowledge Graph (BKG). Then, one can predict the topic hotness by using various kinds of topological entity information, i.e., TopicRank, PaperRank, AuthorRank, and VenueRank, along with pre-trained node embedding, i.e., node2vec embedding, and different pooling techniques. To validate the proposed method, we constructed a new BKG by using 4.5 million PubMed Central publications plus MeSH (Medical Subject Heading) thesaurus and witnessed the essential prediction improvement with extensive experiment outcomes over 10 years observations.
... An example of a streaming video is Conferences On-Line Allergy. 39 Patients frequently access various online Web sites to obtain medical information, though the accuracy of such information is not always clear. ...
Telemedicine (TM) has become a popular method of accessing medical services between providers and patients and is viewed as a cost-effective alternative to more traditional episodic face-to-face encounters. TM overcomes 2 barriers that patients face when seeking health care: distance and time. It is as effective as in-person visits for outpatient treatment of asthma, and it is a convenient way to provide inpatient consultations for patients when the allergist practices outside of the hospital. TM also has been used to manage patients with asthma in schools. Patients tend to be as satisfied with TM or they prefer TM over in-person visits, but infrequently they do prefer in-person visits. In addition to virtual visits using TM, there are several emerging technologies that are relevant to the practice of allergy/immunology including electronic diaries (eg, symptoms and medication use), wearable technology (eg, to monitor activity and vital signs), remote patient monitoring (eg, environmental exposures and medication adherence) as well as electronic medical records augmented with clinical decision support. We believe that the use of TM, particularly when combined with information technologies such as electronic health records, has the potential to cause a transformational change in the way care is delivered by altering the process of interaction between patient and provider. TM addresses the shortage of allergy specialists in rural and underserved urban communities and facilitates patient access to allergy services. As patients take more control of their health care, use of TM is likely to increase because a large part of the move to adopt TM is driven by patient preference.
... 6 With increasing knowledge and data on asthma management, there are also more chronic disease educational platforms that physicians can use to stay informed on best practices and patients can use to gain education on chronic asthma management such as proper inhaler usage. 4,7 When used properly, TM services have evident benefits. Nonetheless, many barriers to their implementation in health care settings still exist. ...
Introduction:
Telemedicine and electronic medical records (EMRs) have revolutionized healthcare in recent years, offering numerous benefits that improve the delivery of care and the overall patient outcomes.
Areas covered:
Telemedicine allows providers to diagnose and treat patients remotely, often eliminating the need for face-to-face visits. Its benefits include improved access to care, convenience for patients, and reduced costs both for patients and providers. When used with remote patient monitoring and remote therapeutic monitoring, continuous care becomes possible. EMRs allow providers to store, access, and share patient information more efficiently than paper charts. The benefits of EMRs include improved patient safety, increased efficiency, and reduced costs.
Expert opinion:
The combination of telemedicine with EMRs makes it possible to envision the advent of computer-assisted diagnosis (CAD). This technology uses artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms to analyze medical information including images, clinical and physiologic data, test results and remotely obtained information to support healthcare providers in making accurate diagnoses. By providing providers with what is essentially a second opinion, CAD systems can help prevent misdiagnoses and improve the quality of care. Such systems are not meant to replace healthcare providers, but rather to support them in making more informed and accurate diagnoses.
With emerging interest in the use of telemedicine, Allergy-Immunology should be at the forefront of adoption and implementation of these services. Patients report a greater desire for telemedicine services as well as satisfaction with video-based visits with their providers. Interim virtual visits can accommodate overscheduled clinics, reduce burdens of travel to distant sites, improve access to sub-specialty care, and increase adherence during monitoring of chronic allergic conditions. The outpatient nature of Allergy-Immunology coupled with the ease of conducting many aspects of a routine visit via telemedicine makes incorporation of telehealth training into fellowship programs highly desirable. The short-term closure of hospital-affiliated clinics, in particular for vulnerable or immunodeficient patients, in the setting of a global pandemic demonstrates the timeliness of this topic.
A framework for implementing telemedicine into the Allergy-Immunology curriculum, training faculty on appropriate supervision, providing elective clinical experience in the form of continuity clinics, and simulating telemedicine delivery is discussed. Proposed telemedicine competencies desired for independent practice of telemedicine are suggested.
Massive open online courses (MOOCs) are a novel and emerging mode of online learning. They offer the advantages of online learning and provide content including short video lectures, digital readings, interactive assignments, discussion fora, and quizzes. Besides stand-alone use, universities are also trying to integrate MOOC content into the regular curriculum creating blended learning programs. In this 12 tips article, we aim to provide guidelines for readers to integrate MOOC content from their own or from other institutions into regular classroom teaching based on the literature and our own experiences. We provide advice on how to select the right content, how to assess its quality and usefulness, and how to actually create a blend within your existing course.
Background
Online education options increasingly complement traditional face-to-face (F2F) approaches. Few studies have compared both formats on doctors, and little evidence exists to prove that the online approach is universally effective. This gap needs to be addressed to ensure that the quality of education and health care delivery is not compromised.
Methods
A quantitative survey targeting 881 doctors that required online and F2F teaching sessions offers identical contents over a 12-month period. The surveyed doctors work in the Australian after-hours house-call (AHHC) industry, and the teachings were parts of their continuing professional development activities.
Results
In all, 89 responses were received; 10 (11.2%) participated exclusively online, while 23 (25.8%) did so by F2F; 52 (58.4%) engaged through both modalities. No statistical differences existed based on sex, specialty, and post-graduate fellowship status, as well as on the perceptions with teaching structure, contents, and duration of the education programmes. However, F2F-only doctors were likely to be junior and younger than 40 years (odds ratio [OR]: 3.85; P = .01). They also admit easy access to effective teaching environment (OR: 4.07; P = .01) and receive better feedbacks (OR: 3.75; P = .01). Conversely, online-only participants were more likely to combine AHHC duties with regular-hours general practice (OR: 0.15; P = .02) and are generally more satisfied with the programme frequency (OR: 6.90; P = .01).
Conclusions
On multiple areas, no differences exist in the medical education delivered by online and the F2F methods to doctors and both should be encouraged. However, younger and junior practitioners, who tend to need feedbacks on their jobs, should participate more in the F2F sessions.
Background:
The use of digital education in problem-based learning, or digital problem-based learning (DPBL), is increasingly employed in health professions education. DPBL includes purely digitally delivered as well as blended problem-based learning, wherein digital and face-to-face learning are combined.
Objective:
The aim of this review is to evaluate the effectiveness of DPBL in improving health professionals' knowledge, skills, attitudes, and satisfaction.
Methods:
We used the gold-standard Cochrane methods to conduct a systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs). We included studies that compared the effectiveness of DPBL with traditional learning methods or other forms of digital education in improving health professionals' knowledge, skills, attitudes, and satisfaction. Two authors independently screened studies, extracted data, and assessed the risk of bias. We contacted study authors for additional information, if necessary. We used the random-effects model in the meta-analyses.
Results:
Nine RCTs involving 890 preregistration health professionals were included. Digital technology was mostly employed for presentation of problems. In three studies, PBL was delivered fully online. Digital technology modalities spanned online learning, offline learning, virtual reality, and virtual patients. The control groups consisted of traditional PBL and traditional learning. The pooled analysis of seven studies comparing the effect of DPBL and traditional PBL reported little or no difference in postintervention knowledge outcomes (standardized mean difference [SMD] 0.19, 95% CI 0.00-0.38). The pooled analysis of three studies comparing the effect of DPBL to traditional learning on postintervention knowledge outcomes favored DPBL (SMD 0.67, 95% CI 0.14-1.19). For skill development, the pooled analysis of two studies comparing DPBL to traditional PBL favored DPBL (SMD 0.30, 95% CI 0.07-0.54). Findings on attitudes and satisfaction outcomes were mixed. The included studies mostly had an unclear risk of bias.
Conclusions:
Our findings suggest that DPBL is as effective as traditional PBL and more effective than traditional learning in improving knowledge. DPBL may be more effective than traditional learning or traditional PBL in improving skills. Further studies should evaluate the use of digital technology for the delivery of other PBL components as well as PBL overall.
Emergency medicine training programs face many challenges in creating and maintaining high quality didactic and asynchronous learning experiences. To address these challenges, our team created two tools. First, we designed the Emergency Medicine Curriculum Assessment Tool (EMCAT) to help program leaders compare their didactic program to the Model of Clinical Practice established by the American Board of Emergency Medicine (ABEM). Second, we created a catalog of free, open-access medical education (FOAMed) resources based on the ABEM Model subcategory. Residency leaders can use EMCAT to identify the underweighted topics in their conference program and then access the resource catalog to find educational content matched to their areas of increased need. To date, five programs have implemented EMCAT and users from over 72 countries have accessed nearly 1,000 resources. Both EMCAT and the resource catalog are available free online.
Background: Video lectures are an increasingly popular format. They allow an individual choice of time, place and speed of learning.
Objective: The aim of the present study was to compare whether video lectures are as effective as live lectures to impart the complete contents of the clinical part of the medical exam. The study also examines whether students prefer live or video lectures and for what reason.
Design: In 2014, a preparatory course was held at the University of Göttingen to train medical students for the clinical part of the medical exams. Three-quarters of the participants received 41 four-hour lessons live, while the same lessons were shown on video to the remaining quarter. The assignment to the video group changed daily, so that all students saw both live and video lectures. To compare the effectiveness, it was evaluated for 205 students how video and live students answered the 301 multiple choice questions of the medical exam.
Results: There is hardly any difference regarding effectiveness. 36,735 of 46,926 questions (78.283%) were correctly answered by the live group, while 11,617 of 14,779 questions (78.605%) were correctly answered by the video group (n.s., p = 0.407, effect size ω = 0.003337). There were some differences in subjective evaluation: 48% of students preferred live lessons, 27% preferred video lessons and 25% stated ‘neutral’. The items ‘learning atmosphere’, ‘ability to concentrate’, ‘presence of other students’ and ‘acoustic intelligibility’ were assessed significantly better for the video courses than for the live courses. No item of the live course was rated better than in the video course.
Conclusions: Video and live lectures are equally effective in preparation for the clinical part of the medical exams. Video lectures offer many benefits for the students and for the faculties, and may complement and partly replace conventional live events.
Abstract Background E-learning allows delivery of education in many diverse settings and researchers have demonstrated it can be as effective as learning conducted in traditional face-to-face settings. However, there are particular practices and skills needed in the area of providing patient self-management support (SMS), that may not be achievable online. The aim of this study was to compare three approaches in the training of university students regarding the preparation of a Chronic Condition Self-Management Care Plan: 1) traditional face-to-face delivery of SMS training, 2) an e-learning approach and 3) a blended approach (combining e-learning and face-to-face teaching). Methods Graduate entry physiotherapy students and medical students at Flinders University were recruited. Depending on the cohort, students were either exposed to traditional face-to-face training, e-learning or a blended model. Outcomes were compared between the three groups. We measured adherence to care plan processes in the preparation of an assessment piece using the Flinders Program Chronic Care Self Management tools. A total of 183 care plans were included (102 traditional, 52 blended, 29 e-learning,). All students submitted the Flinders Program Chronic Care Plan for university assessment and these were later assessed for quality by researchers. The submission was also assigned a consumer engagement score and a global competence score as these are integral to successful delivery of SMS and represent the patient perspective. Results The blended group performed significantly better than the traditional group in quality use of the Flinders Program tools: Problem and Goals (P
Background:
The Ebola virus epidemic and civil war in Liberia left the country in need of strengthening the health workforce. E-learning in medical education provides relevant learning opportunities for students, develops faculty competencies, and assists with the retention of healthcare workers. The Stellenbosch University Rural Medical Education Partnership Initiative (SURMEPI), the College of Health and Life Sciences (COHLS) at the University of Liberia (UL), and the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) formed a partnership to create an e-learning solution for the COHLS.
Objective:
This article outlines the implementation of an e-learning solution for the COHLS in Monrovia, and describes the challenges met, the key successes achieved, and the lessons learnt.
Methods:
An initial scoping visit to Liberia was followed by three further on-site visits. Problems identified were: very limited or no network and computer resources, no internet connection, intermittent power, and lack of IT skills. We followed an evolutionary approach to infrastructure implementation by trying various solutions before settling on an offsite-hosted solution using Software as a Service (SaaS). Local staff were upskilled to administer this while remote support from Stellenbosch IT was provided. A stable internet connection was established. Staff and students can access the Learning Management System (LMS) 24/7 using mobile devices and laptops. Workshops were held where staff were taught how to produce online teaching material. Each class has at least one teaching assistant to assist lecturers with uploading and indexing material on the LMS.A benchmarking visit by COHLS faculty to Stellenbosch University took place, during which an e-learning strategic plan was drawn up. Further online workshops were conducted, and teaching materials were placed on the new LMS.
Outcomes:
The intranet that was established consisted of internet connection and software as a service in the form of Office 365, providing access to several products and services. The e-learning model attended to technology and human resources simultaneously. The e-learning strategy aimed to improve teaching and learning at the COHLS, boost the number of qualified doctors, reduce the workload on lecturers, and be scalable in the future.
Conclusion:
It is challenging to implement e-learning in medical education. Inadequate infrastructure, limited bandwidth, lack of skilled IT staff, unreliable power supply, time commitment, and ongoing maintenance all need to be overcome. The creation of an e-learning solution for the COHLS over a period of 15 months was enabled by the common vision and close collaboration of the three partners. This model can potentially be replicated across other faculties in the University of Liberia and other educational institutions in Liberia.
Objectives
Severe global shortages in the health care workforce sector have made improving access to essential emergency care challenging. The paucity of trained specialists in low‐ and middle‐income countries translates to large swathes of the population receiving inadequate care. Efforts to expand emergency medicine (EM) education are similarly impeded by a lack of available and appropriate teaching faculty. The development of comprehensive, online medical education courses offers a potentially economical, scalable, and lasting solution for universities experiencing professional shortages.
Methods
An EM course addressing core concepts and patient management was developed for medical students enrolled at Makerere University College of Health Sciences in Kampala, Uganda. Material was presented to students in two comparable formats: online video modules and traditional classroom‐based lectures. Following completion of the course, students were assessed for knowledge gains.
Results
Forty‐two and 48 students enrolled and completed all testing in the online and classroom courses, respectively. Student knowledge gains were equivalent (classroom 25 ± 8.7% vs. online 23 ± 6.5%, p = 0.18), regardless of the method of course delivery.
Conclusions
A summative evaluation of Ugandan medical students demonstrated that online teaching modules are effectively equivalent and offer a viable alternative to traditional classroom‐based lectures delivered by on‐site, visiting faculty in their efficacy to teach expertise in EM. Web‐based curriculum can help alleviate the burden on universities in developing nations struggling with a critical shortage of health care educators while simultaneously satisfying the growing community demand for access to emergency medical care. Future studies assessing the long‐term retention of course material could gauge its incorporation into clinical practice.
Introduction:
Online education has become standard for delivering graduate coursework in the medical and allied health professions, yet there is insufficient evidence regarding best practices and preferred methods of delivery for students in graduate clinical nutrition programs. Synchronous or real-time virtual classes vs asynchronous or static formats both have potential drawbacks and benefits. The purpose of this study was to evaluate graduate clinical nutrition student perceptions and learning outcomes using specific delivery modes in online instruction.
Methods:
A Qualtrics™ survey was piloted, validated, and disseminated to working health professionals completing master's level study in clinical nutrition at a midwestern university. Qualitative data were imported, coded, noded, and analyzed using Nvivo v.11. Scaled data was analyzed and graphed.
Results:
The results showed that students perceived significant benefit from synchronous online courses, in terms of interactivity, connectedness to peers and professors, and enhanced learning and accommodation of different learning styles. Evaluation of student learning outcomes from triangulated measures of the e-portfolio, oral comprehensive evaluation, and capstone experience shows improved learning with higher order synthetic capabilities in graduating students and improved professional competency in clinical nutrition and future ability to work as an effective part of the healthcare team.
Discussion:
The synchronous online environment may provide unique opportunities to foster learning through a variety of modalities and enhance interprofessional interaction in the virtual space. This may lead to improvements in synthetic abilities of practitioners and increased efficacy as part of the healthcare team.
BACKGROUND
Umbilical cord blood unit (CBU) volume is a predictor of its later clinical utility. Many studies suggest the need to increase the volume of CBU collected, but most obstetrical providers receive no formal collection training.
STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS
We designed and implemented an educational curriculum for obstetrics residents aimed at improving collection methods and increasing CBU volumes (CBUV). Residents were required to attend grand rounds and interactive didactic sessions on CBU collection followed by work with a simulated collection kit and then performed training collections under observation by a trained collector. Residents completed a self‐assessment after each collection and received immediate personal feedback. Outside providers (non‐UAMS physicians) received written instructional materials with the collection kits and had access to online training materials. They received feedback regarding their collection via standard mail. CBU donated to Cord Blood Bank of Arkansas for public use from 2014–2016 were analyzed. CBUV from residents were compared to those from outside providers.
RESULTS
After adjusting for maternal age and race, infant gender, gestational age, and birth weight, the least‐squared mean CBUV was 92.1 mL for UAMS collections and 65.5 mL for outside provider collections. The improved CBUV of UAMS providers is statistically significant (p < 0.0001).
CONCLUSION
Our educational intervention was successful, and we believe that it can be replicated in other obstetrical residency programs. Cord blood collection education involving hands‐on training with a model and immediate feedback improves CBUV, decreases kit waste, increases likelihood of CBU storage, and, therefore, inventory for transplantation.
Online curricula can make high-quality health professions education accessible in virtually any setting. They can enhance teaching and learning by both standardizing curricular resources and individualizing curricular experiences. Despite growing demand for and institutional interest in online curricula for medical education, many medical educators lack a framework for online curriculum development. Without rigorous and thoughtful development, online curricula can waste opportunity and resources by leading to education that is inferior to traditional methods. In this article, the authors describe a systematic approach to online curriculum development based on the Six-Step Approach for Curriculum Development for Medical Education, a widely used method that has led to successful implementation of a variety of traditional and online curricula. In each step, special considerations for curricula with larger and more diverse learner audiences-characteristic of many online curricula-are highlighted. Four common online curricular formats are also discussed: blended curricula, instructor-led fully online curricula, self-paced modules, and massive open online courses (MOOCs). The authors emphasize factors that differentiate one online format from another, including the budgetary, technical, and human resource requirements for each. The article concludes by urging medical educators to pursue opportunities to study and disseminate online curricular work.
Emergency medical services (EMS) became a recognized subspecialty of the American Board of Emergency Medicine in 2010. Formal accreditation of EMS training programs in 2013, with a defined core curriculum and body of knowledge, transformed what was previously an on‐the‐job learning process into a more standardized educational experience. (5,6) While national developments have been successful in advancing EMS medicine in many regions, fellowship education remains subject to variations, often due to differences in local expertise, resources, and program objectives.
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Information and communications technology has become central to the way in which health services are provided. Technology-enabled services in healthcare are often described as eHealth, or more recently, digital health.
Practitioners may require new knowledge, skills and competencies to make best use of eHealth, and while universities may be a logical place to provide such education and training, a study in 2012 found that the workforce was not being adequately educated to achieve competence to work with eHealth.
We revisited eHealth education and training in Australian universities with a focus on medical schools; we aimed to explore the progress of eHealth in the Australian medical curriculum.
We conducted a national interview study and interpretative phenomenological analysis with participants from all 19 medical schools in Australia; two themes emerged: (i) consensus on the importance of eHealth to current and future clinical practice; (ii) there are other priorities, and no strong drivers for change.
Systemic problems inhibit the inclusion of eHealth in medical education: the curriculum is described as ‘crowded’ and with competing demands, and because accrediting bodies do not expect eHealth competence in medical graduates, there is no external pressure for its inclusion. Unless and until accrediting bodies recognise and expect competence in eHealth, it is unlikely that it will enter the curriculum; consequently the future workforce will remain unprepared.
Teaching modes and social-epistemological dimensions in medical Massive Open Online Courses: lessons for integration in campus education
- Hendriks