Harnessing Technology: Using an iPad to Enhance Radiology Medical Student Education

Our goal was to determine whether use of the iPad would increase the students' radiologic knowledge, aid in their interpretation of imaging exams, and increase learner satisfaction.

iPads were pre-populated with ten image data sets, which included plain film, ultrasound, and CT of the head, chest, abdomen, and pelvis. The students, working in small groups, were charged with identifying the salient imaging findings, formulating a differential diagnosis, and choosing the most appropriate imaging modality, if further work-up was necessary. After the student group problem-solved for an hour, a faculty facilitator joined the group and reviewed the cases with them in an interactive fashion. Pre- and post- intervention tests were administered, and statistical analysis was performed.

Student satisfaction surveys were administered to 125 students in the first 2 years of the study. These scores rated their assessment of the iPad exercise and ranged from 4.6 to 4.9 out of 5. The knowledge evaluation group included 219 students, 110 in the study group and 109 in the control group, in the latter 3 years of the study. The average improvement from the initial to the second test was 1.04 points among the control group and 2.32 among the study group, which was statistically significant (p = 0.0001).

We demonstrate increased learner satisfaction, as well as improved knowledge acquisition and interpretive skills of third year medical students engaged in hands-on learning using iPads.