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Proposed curricular objectives to teach physicians competence in using the World Wide Web
Julie J McGowan1, Eta S Berner
1Information Resources and Educational Technology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis , USA. jjmcgowa@iupui.edu
Summary
Physicians increasingly use the World Wide Web for medical practice, but misinformation is a risk. Medical education must equip future doctors to critically evaluate online health information, fostering "information-astute physicians."
Area of Science:
- Medical Informatics
- Digital Health
- Health Professions Education
Background:
- The World Wide Web is increasingly integral to medical practice, serving as both a valuable resource and a potential source of misinformation.
- Existing quality standards for health websites have shown limited success in mitigating the risks of inaccurate online information.
- Physicians and patients face challenges in discerning credible health information from unreliable sources on the internet.
Purpose of the Study:
- To highlight the critical need for enhanced medical education in evaluating online health information.
- To propose concepts for training future physicians to become "information-astute physicians" capable of critically analyzing web-based medical content.
- To address the growing challenge of misinformation in digital health resources.
Main Methods:
- Literature review on the impact of the internet on medical practice and information quality.
- Analysis of current medical curricula and their preparedness for digital information literacy.
- Conceptual framework development for educating physicians on critical appraisal of online health resources.
Main Results:
- The ubiquitous nature of the Web necessitates new skills for physicians to navigate health information effectively.
- Current educational approaches may not adequately prepare medical students to critically filter and analyze online medical content.
- There is a clear need to integrate digital literacy and critical evaluation skills into medical school curricula.
Conclusions:
- Medical schools must prioritize teaching students how to critically evaluate online health information to combat misinformation.
- Developing "information-astute physicians" is crucial for ensuring patient safety and effective healthcare delivery in the digital age.
- Educational strategies should focus on equipping future healthcare providers with the skills to discern credible information from unreliable sources on the Web.