An application of virtual microscopy in the pathology laboratory teaching for undergraduate medical student

Abstract

Objectives: To compare students’ performance and perceptions between using traditional microscopy (TM) and applying virtual microscopy (VM) as a new teaching strategy in pathology laboratory teaching for year-2 and year-3 medical students at the faculty of Medicine, Srinakharinwirot University in the academic year 2011. Research Design: A prospective crossover design. Participants: All Year-2 and Year-3 medical students in the academic year 2011. Methods: All students were assigned to either TM or VM for 2 pathology modules in a system-based curriculum. The effectiveness of both learning methods was determined by students’ performance on pathology-based examination questions established at the end of each session. The examination questions were ensured for their content validity and difficulty factor. Students’ perception of using VM was surveyed by a developed 5 Likert scale questionnaire. Descriptive analysis was performed to compare the mean scores of performance and students’ perception in each dimension. Results: Paired t-test revealed that the mean score between using TM and VM was significantly different (p < .05) in class year-3, but not for year-2. Students responded positively in a survey about using VM, indicating that is convenient, provides good image quality, and they prefer to use it. Conclusion: VM did not significantly impact the students’ performance in undergraduate pathology course, as measured by the examination test scores, but was considered highly acceptable as a new teaching strategy. These results can encourage the department, faculty, and university to consider the implementation of VM for medical education in teaching pathology and other relevant subjects that use TM.