Computer skills and attitudes to computer-aided learning among medical students

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Health Informatics
• Digital Literacy

Background:

• Third-year medical students at the University of Edinburgh were surveyed regarding their computing skills and confidence.
• Attitudes towards computer-aided learning (CAL) for clinical teaching were also assessed.
• A significant portion of students reported limited recent computer usage and unfamiliarity with essential library and research tools.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the level of computing skills and confidence among third-year medical students.
• To assess student attitudes towards computer-aided learning in clinical education.
• To determine the necessity of integrating information technology (IT) training into the medical curriculum.

Main Methods:

• A survey was administered to 144 third-year medical students.
• Questions covered computing task proficiency, confidence levels, and attitudes towards CAL.
• Data analysis focused on identifying skill gaps and correlations between experience, confidence, and CAL attitudes.

Main Results:

• 31% of students had not used a computer in the past year; 38% lacked experience outside supervised settings.
• Many students expressed low confidence in basic tasks like printing, file copying, and document graphing.
• Students who completed an intercalated honours year demonstrated significantly higher computing skills and confidence.

Conclusions:

• Basic computer information technology (IT) skills are not adequately acquired by third-year medical students.
• Confidence in computing tasks is linked to positive attitudes towards computer-aided learning.
• Medical school curricula must include dedicated IT training to ensure students are proficient for modern healthcare practice.