Pathology education in a multisite urban/rural distributed curriculum

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Pathology
• Distributed Learning

Background:

• Addressing regional physician shortages in British Columbia.
• Implementing distributed undergraduate medical curriculum across urban and rural campuses since 2005.

Purpose of the Study:

• Evaluate the implementation and effectiveness of a distributed pathology curriculum.
• Assess student performance and satisfaction with distributed medical education.

Main Methods:

• Utilized state-of-the-art audiovisual systems and digital "virtual slide" technology.
• Established physical and virtual pathology learning centers for self-directed study.
• Recruited pathologist educators, facing challenges at rural sites.

Main Results:

• Student performance on pathology exams remained consistent pre- and post-distribution and across all sites.
• Quantitative and qualitative surveys indicated overwhelmingly positive student reception.
• Pathology emerged as a popular component of the distributed curriculum.

Conclusions:

• Distributed pathology education is a successful and vital component of undergraduate medical programs.
• Effective implementation requires significant investment in technology, infrastructure, and commitment from educators and administrators.
• Student outcomes and feedback validate the value of distributed teaching methods and technologies.