Assessment of Pathology Learning Modules With Virtual Microscopy in a Preclinical Medical School Curriculum.

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Pathology Learning
• Curriculum Development

Background:

• Preclinical medical education requires effective learning of pathology.
• Traditional methods may not fully optimize pathology knowledge acquisition.
• Innovative teaching tools are needed to improve student performance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the efficacy of pathology modules in enhancing preclinical medical students' learning.
• To evaluate the impact of pathology modules on course content comprehension and retention.
• To determine the correlation between module usage and student examination performance.

Main Methods:

• Pathology modules were developed for Hematology/Oncology and Women's Health (WH) courses.
• Student performance data were collected over two academic years from two student cohorts.
• Statistical analysis was performed to compare outcomes between students using and not using modules.

Main Results:

• A significant correlation was observed between module use and higher scores on pathology-related questions in Hematology/Oncology and WH (cohort 1).
• Cohort 1 showed significant improvement in WH laboratory practical examination questions (P=.026).
• Student completion rates varied, with the WH course cohort 1 showing the highest engagement (60%).

Conclusions:

• Pathology modules show potential for improving the acquisition and retention of pathology knowledge.
• Appropriate integration and student engagement are key factors for module effectiveness.
• Further research may explore optimal strategies for module implementation in medical education.