Optical Versus Virtual Microscope for Medical Education: A Systematic Review.

Area of Science:

• Digital pathology
• Medical education technology

Background:

• Whole slide imaging (WSI) digitalizes glass slides for remote access via virtual microscopy (VM).
• VM simulates optical microscopy (OM) use, impacting histology and pathology education.
• The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada now uses VM for anatomical pathology licensing exams.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review evidence on virtual microscopy (VM) effectiveness and learner perceptions compared to optical microscopy (OM).
• To inform medical educators about the utility of VM in histology and pathology training.

Main Methods:

• A systematic review approach was used to summarize published outcomes.
• The review focused on comparing virtual microscopy (VM) with optical microscopy (OM) in medical education.

Main Results:

• Medical students showed improved performance and preferred VM in their curriculum.
• Resident learners' performance was comparable between OM and VM.
• Residents favored optical microscopy (OM) as their preferred slide-viewing modality.

Conclusions:

• Virtual microscopy (VM) integration into medical curricula can enhance student performance.
• Learner perceptions and preferences differ between medical students and residents regarding VM and OM.
• Further research is needed to fully understand the long-term impact of VM in pathology education.