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Abstract
Background:
Diagnostic cytopathology is an essential part of clinical decision-making. It forms the basis for diagnosis of many cancers and infections. However, there is lack of standardised high quality cytology teaching materials to assist learning by specialist pathology trainees, as well as medical students. In addition, there is inequity of learning opportunities for trainees and students between departments and campuses. This project addressed the above issues by creating and evaluating digital educational material in cytopathology.
Methods:
1. Glass cytopathology slides were digitised as whole slide images (WSI). These were utilised for the creation of 25 virtual microscopy adaptive tutorials (VMATs). The acceptability of these resources for learning by pathology trainees and specialist pathologists was determined by deploying 3 VMATs in a pilot study, hosted by the Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia (RCPA).
2. To formally evaluate the efficacy, perceived efficiency and acceptability of WSI and VMATs for learning cytopathology, two randomised cross-over trials were conducted:
a. Comparing WSI and VMATs with traditional glass slides and textbooks for pathology trainees
b. Comparing WSI and VMATs with online textbooks and atlases for senior medical students
Results:
Efficacy of learning with WSI and VMATs was at least equivalent to existing methods. Efficacy, efficiency and equity of learning provided by WSI and VMATs were prominent themes in evaluation surveys completed by pathology trainees. For medical students, exposure to VMATs resulted in significantly improved diagnostic accuracy for fine needle aspirates. Medical students' perceptions of VMATs were positive, particularly regarding immediate feedback, interactivity and equity.
Conclusion:
These digital pathology educational resources were found to be effective, efficient and acceptable e-learning tools for learning cytopathology, with the potential to provide widespread equitable access to high quality, consistent teaching material for a wide range of users.