Interactive video in medical education: a program on jugular venous pressure and the cardiac cycle

Interactive video is a new teaching medium that has much potential in medical education. Hitherto, the realization of this potential has been restrained by lack of awareness among medical teachers of the advantageous features provided and how to implement them, while computer specialists lack the required medical knowledge. To facilitate a wider appreciation of interactive video we describe the features offered, emphasizing those which differentiate this method from other teaching methods. These features, and techniques for their implementation which are readily available to non-computer specialists, are illustrated by description of an interactive video program for teaching the assessment of central venous pressure pulsations and their relationship to the electrical, auditory and mechanical events of the cardiac cycle.