Dermatology resources on the internet: a practical guide for dermatologists

Using the Internet to Assess and Teach Medical Students in Dermatology

Background and Objectives:

We wish to develop and evaluate a user-friendly online interactive teaching and examination model as an adjunct to traditional bedside teaching of medical students during a clinical rotation in dermatology.

Methods:

Following completion of an online examination, senior medical students at the University of British Columbia ( n = 178) were asked to complete an online survey to evaluate their acceptance of this new method. The online examination model was evaluated through students' responses to the questionnaire-based evaluation they were asked to complete following their examination. Responses were evaluated on a standardized 5-point scale.

Results:

A high response rate was achieved (98.9%). Overall, 93% of senior medical students felt that the Internet was a useful and effective way to administer a dermatology examination. Most (90%) preferred the online examination to a traditional paper-and-pencil examination and the majority (88%) felt that the quality of digital images presented was sufficient to make an accurate diagnosis. In addition, students strongly supported the further development of teaching resources on the web and would use these resources in learning dermatology (93%).

Conclusions:

The development of an online interactive examination tool for dermatology is technically feasible with current technology. Senior medical students are not only accepting of this new technology but also prefer it to more traditional formats and indicate enthusiasm for the development of further online teaching resources in dermatology.

Dermatology education and the Internet: traditional and cutting-edge resources

BACKGROUND

The number and variety of dermatological medical resources available online has grown exponentially over the past decade. Internet-based resources allow for immediate and easy access to information for both medical education and reference purposes. Although clinicians continue to turn to the Internet for clinical information and still images, tech-savvy medical students are currently accessing a variety of exciting new resources, including discussion boards, wikis, streaming video, podcasts, journal clubs, online communities, and interactive diagnostic experiences to augment their medical education.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to identify traditional and cutting-edge online dermatology resources.

METHODS

We present a sampling of the top dermatology Internet resources, as assessed by a group of medical students in our university dermatology research lab. These resources were ranked by using a matrix derived from the Silberg Criteria, which assessed authorship, attribution, disclosure, currency, and content. Results indicate comparable ranking and approval of cutting-edge resources as traditional online sources. The ranked resources in each category are provided with URLs for readers' use.

CONCLUSIONS

These cutting-edge online dermatology resources represent excellent sources for continuing education for students and clinicians alike. Resources such as these likely represent the future of medical education, as they allow for self-directed and supplementary education as well as remote access.

Professional use of the internet among Saudi Arabian dermatologists: a cross-sectional survey

BACKGROUND

The internet is an increasingly important tool for physicians, but the extent to which it is used by dermatologists is unknown. We aimed to investigate the utilization of the internet by dermatologists in Saudi Arabia for medical purposes during their daily practice and to clarify the reasons for its use and non-use.

METHODS

A self-administered questionnaire was distributed to all 160 dermatologists attending the National Dermatology conference in 2007.

RESULTS

A total of 107 questionnaires were completed. Sixty-two percent of respondents had access to the internet in the workplace. The use of the internet to update medical knowledge was reported by 91%.Only 27% had internet access in consultation rooms. The majority of information retrieval occurred outside patient consultation hours (91%).Only 13% reported using the internet during patient consultation. Possible reasons included: lack of access (54%), time pressure (37%), possible interference with the physician-patient relationship (30%), and that use of the internet was too time-consuming (10%). The mean searching time used to solve a clinical problem was 34 +/- 3 minutes. Fifty-eight percent used Pubmed; however, 77% of the dermatologists had no training at all in how to use this tool.

CONCLUSION

Professional medical use of the internet is widespread among dermatologists in Saudi Arabia. Providing access to the internet in the workplace and training of dermatologists to perform effective electronic searches are badly needed to improve the professional medical use of internet, which is expected to lead to better delivery of patient care.

Introducing the National Library for Health Skin Conditions Specialist Library

BACKGROUND

This paper introduces the new National Library for Health Skin Conditions Specialist Library http://www.library.nhs.uk/skin.

DESCRIPTION

The aims, scope and audience of the new NLH Skin Conditions Specialist Library, and the composition and functions of its core Project Team, Editorial Team and Stakeholders Group are described. The Library's collection building strategy, resource and information types, editorial policies, quality checklist, taxonomy for content indexing, organisation and navigation, and user interface are all presented in detail. The paper also explores the expected impact and utility of the new Library, as well as some possible future directions for further development.

CONCLUSION

The Skin Conditions Specialist Library is not just another new Web site that dermatologists might want to add to their Internet favourites then forget about it. It is intended to be a practical, "one-stop shop" dermatology information service for everyday practical use, offering high quality, up-to-date resources, and adopting robust evidence-based and knowledge management approaches.