The use of technology and perceptions of its effectiveness in training physicians

Abstract

Background: Technology has been incorporated into the classrooms of future healthcare professionals for decades and vast research has investigated its effectiveness. Much less attention, however, has examined how medical schools are actually using technology and telemedicine to aid teaching.

Aims: It is unclear how medical schools use technology as pedagogical aids. This study investigates technology and telemedicine use in physician training in the United States.

Methods: We distributed an online survey on technology and telemedicine use through the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine and the Association of American Medical Colleges.

Results: Both allopathic and osteopathic institutions train students with various forms of technology, but appear to be doing so differently. Few schools use telemedicine in the classroom and even fewer require it.

Conclusion: Osteopathic institutions report more positive attitudes toward e-learning and technology, but allopathic schools on an average have more technology available and longer years of use.

Acknowledgements

Technical assistance was provided by the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM) and the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC).

Declaration of interest: The findings, conclusions and recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Foundation for the Mid South, AACOM or AAMC.

The authors report no declarations of interest and are solely responsible for the content of this study.

This research was funded by the Foundation for the Mid South.