MI-Lab - A Laboratory Environment for Medical Informatics Students

Area of Science:

• Medical Informatics
• Health Information Technology
• Educational Technology

Background:

• Healthcare relies heavily on diverse information technology systems and data types.
• Students and researchers often lack access to real-world healthcare IT systems for practical training.
• Bridging the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application in medical informatics is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a dedicated laboratory environment for medical informatics education and clinical research.
• To provide students and researchers with hands-on experience using essential healthcare application systems.
• To create a flexible and deployable system for various educational and research scenarios.

Main Methods:

• Identified essential healthcare application systems and designed a suitable system architecture.
• Developed a teaching plan with learning modules for medical informatics degrees.
• Implemented the MI-Lab environment using free and open-source software components.
• Utilized virtual machines and Docker containers for a modular and flexible system deployment.

Main Results:

• Successfully implemented the MI-Lab, a modular laboratory environment for medical informatics.
• The system integrates various free and open-source software components.
• Preliminary evaluations indicate MI-Lab effectively teaches practical medical informatics skills.
• Students showed high acceptance of the MI-Lab for hands-on learning.

Conclusions:

• Laboratory environments like MI-Lab are valuable for teaching practical aspects of medical informatics.
• The developed modular architecture allows for flexible deployment in diverse settings.
• MI-Lab addresses the need for accessible, real-world IT experience in medical informatics education.
• The system is well-accepted by students, suggesting its utility in academic programs.