Page 4 - OK to Proceed - Ch 3 The Role of Digital Media in Medical Education

Instructional Videos—It has been said that “if a presentations, and other innovative applications
picture is worth a thousand words, then a video of technology in the educational setting.
is worth a million.” Video is a powerful medi-
um, so much so that the second-largest search Simulation—Simulation can be described as an
engine on the internet, YouTube, is comprised educational method utilized to enhance learning.
solely of videos. According to YouTube’s own It relies on providing a structured environment
statistics, hundreds of millions of hours of video or experience in which a learner can engage with
content are watched by users every day, gener- devices or situations analogous to their real-life
ating billions of views. counterparts. In medicine, a tremendous advan-
6
Many leading academic journals have recog- tage of simulation is that it allows learners to prac-
nized the importance of multimedia and include tice critical skills without causing patient harm.
publications using video or other mixed-media Simulation tools have been used in the
formats. For instance, the New England Journal medical profession for centuries. Records exist
of Medicine (NEJM) has a category for man- of mannequins being used as early as the 16th
uscript submission titled “Videos in Clinical century to teach obstetrical skills in an effort
Medicine.” These videos are peer-reviewed, to reduce high maternal and infant mortality
indexed in Medline as review articles, and cited rates. Currently, a range of simulation tools and
8
in the literature in the same way as other publi- approaches are being used in medical education,
cations. In keeping with its patient safety-orient- including low-tech objects or models for practic-
ed culture, Boston Medical Center is the leading ing specific skills; computer-based simulations;
producer of these videos for NEJM, with more and high-tech, lifelike virtual environments, many
than ten such publications to date (Table 1). of which are powered by multimedia technol-
Many of these videos address how to minimize ogy. Regardless of the specific methodology,
complications and improve care in topics rang- simulation technology has already significantly
ing from using ultrasound for obtaining central advanced the quality and safety of health care in
venous access, to minimizing the risk of infec- the U.S. 9
tion after urethral catheterization.
Instructional videos are also being utilized Advantages and Disadvantages
by many leading global health organizations,
such as the World Health Organization (WHO), The practice of medicine is constantly evolving. New
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, drugs are being formulated, procedures are being up-
and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. This dated, and our explanations of underlying biomedical
content can be easily disseminated around the processes are ever-advancing. Multimedia technology
globe, bringing needed health care knowledge to allows for the easy, rapid, and low-cost distribution
underserved areas. For example, Boston Medical of knowledge. It also allows for multiple entry points
Center developed the WHO’s instructional video to an object of learning, making it flexible enough
for the Global Pulse Oximetry Project, which to meet the unique needs of all learners, unlike the
serves as an authoritative guide on the safe and traditional “one size fits all” curricular model. For
effective use of this device and has now been instance, the availability of instructional videos lets
translated into six languages. students choose the medium of instruction most
comfortable for them (for instance, they can learn
Textbooks—Textbooks have long been utilized in the same material by watching a video lecture, read-
education, and have, for the most part, consisted ing the textbook, or both).
of static text. Today, textbooks in many fields, in- Of course, challenges remain. The benefits of
cluding medical education, are being redesigned technology require access to the proper equipment,
to incorporate a variety of media, including im- including internet access. While updating content and
ages, illustrations, and, most recently, full-length retransmitting it on existing networks is cost-effec-
video lectures that can be incorporated into tive, initial startup costs such as hardware, software,
the flipped classroom model. Textbooks now and training can be quite expensive. Additionally,
7
serve as only one element of a learning ecosys- many instructional strategies incorporating multi-
tem, which includes lectures, interactive case media technology (for instance, the flipped classroom

THE ROLE OF DIGITAL MEDIA IN MEDICAL EDUCATION 47