Teaching Veterinary Histopathology: A Comparison of Microscopy and Digital Slides

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Education
• Histology and Histopathology
• Digital Pathology

Background:

• Virtual microscopy (VM) is increasingly used in teaching, but direct comparisons with traditional microscopy are lacking.
• Histology and histopathology education relies heavily on practical slide analysis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the effectiveness of virtual microscopy versus traditional light microscopy for histology and histopathology practical classes.
• To assess student perceptions of digital versus glass slide microscopy methods.

Main Methods:

• Third-year veterinary students from two institutions participated.
• Students completed objective tests on histology and histopathology before and after practical sessions.
• Practical sessions utilized either glass slides with light microscopes or digital slides (virtual microscopy).

Main Results:

• Both virtual microscopy and traditional microscopy formats led to significant overall performance improvement in students.
• No consistent significant difference in learning outcomes was observed between the two methods.
• Students reported numerous advantages associated with digital microscopy technology.

Conclusions:

• Virtual microscopy and traditional light microscopy are comparably effective for teaching histology and histopathology.
• Digital microscopy presents a favorable learning experience for veterinary students, despite similar objective performance outcomes.