Mathematisch- Naturwissenschaftliche Fakultät I

Prof. Dr. med. Daniel C. Baumgart

Medizinische Klinik mit Schwerpunkt Gastroenterologie und Hepatologie
Universitätsklinikum Charité - Campus Virchow Klinikum
Medizinische Fakultät der Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
Augustenburger Platz 1
13353 Berlin

Telefon: (030) 450-50
Fax: (030) 450-553983
E Mail: daniel.baumgart@charite.de

Background

Traditional teaching concepts in medical education do not take full advantage of information technology, despite the fact that modern clinical medicine and biomedical science is packed with digital media resources reaching from multi dimensional virtual imaging data of the human body to complex video animations of human physiology and biochemistry. Medical education ideally happens at the bedside, not in lecture halls. The use of wireless enabled mobile computers and online course management systems, which can help incorporate and process the ever increasing rich media and information content at the point of care, is largely under explored.

Hypothesis

The use of a specifically designed teaching software package on wireless enabled Tablet PCs in conjunction with an online course management system helps to improve medical education of students and trainees (medical residents and fellows) at the bedside and ultimately results in better performance in validated, standardized exams (board exams) and better medical care.

Research Plan

Aim 1: Define the social and educational background, current skill level, attitude, and interest of medical students and trainees towards the use of wireless portable computer technology and in particular Tablet PCs

Aim 2: Assess the medical skill level prior to a specified period of the conventional or Tablet PC assisted medical training period (rotation) in internal medicine and gastroenterology with validated exams

Aim 3: Design and install an educational software package with multimedia resources on Tablet PCs to be used by the medical students and trainees during the research study

Aim 4: Randomize all medical students and trainees in the department to either attend the conventional or Tablet PC assisted training programs (rotations) and run a randomized controlled research study

Aim 5: Reassess the medical skill level after completion of the specified period of the conventional or Tablet PC assisted medical training period (rotation) in internal medicine and gastroenterology with validated exams.

Aim 6: Analyze and compare the results of the Tablet PC assisted and conventional (control) group. Determine the influence of the user demographics (see Aim 1) on the results (subgroup analysis). Isolate the Tablet PC effect on the outcome.

Impact on Teaching

At the beginning and the end of the courses both groups will be administered a comprehensive exam to assess their medical skill level. This exam will be based on the USMLE (MKSAP), DDSEP and GESAP (standardized, validated US medical licensing exams and self-knowledge assessment test). The results will be analyzed, compared to local, national and international averages.

Impact on Student Learning

A specific preload of software will be designed and cloned onto Tablet PCs. This software preload will include multimedia content like three dimensional imaging data from the virtual human project, endoscopy- and ultrasound videos, physiology animations, and electronic books covering a wide range of subjects in internal medicine gastroenterology, hepatology and endoscopy and will be accessed using a Java based web interface. The use of the individual resources will be tracked and stored in the project database for analysis.

Impact on Technology Implementation

The study will be conducted on two medical wards (units). Unit 49 is equipped with a wireless access point and a Net Education Center hosting Tablet PCs. Some Tablet PCs will be mounted on ward round carts. The remaining Tablet PCs will be assigned to medical students and trainees according to the study protocol. The neighboring unit 48 will not be equipped with the wireless Tablet PC technology, but serve as a matched control in the study.

About Charité

Charité Medical School of the Humboldt-University of Berlin has always been the site of great scientific and medical discoveries ever since its inception in 1710. A total of 29 Nobel Prize winners did their scientific work at our institution. With 2,500 licensed beds in 49 clinical departments, treating roughly 123,000 inpatients and 900,000 outpatients per year with support from 26 theoretical institutes employing some 15000 people, including 3,500 scientists Charité is the largest and oldest academic medical center in Europe.

About the Principal Investigator

Daniel C. Baumgart, MD PhD is Professor of Medicine at Charité Medical School of the Humboldt-University of Berlin. Professor Baumgart trained in internal medicine, gastroenterology and immunology at Charité, The University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA and Georgetown University, Washington, DC, USA. Dr. Baumgart’s research is focused on immunology and inflammatory bowel disease. He also has a strong interest in problem oriented learning, e-learning, evidence based medicine and the application of computers and wireless communication technology in medical education, clinical practice and research.

Information for Students (Teaching)

Project Related Publications and Events

Baumgart DC. Personal digital assistants in health care: experienced clinicians in the palm of your hand? Lancet 2005 Oct 1;366(9492):1210-22.

Acknowledgements

The Tablet PCs and other hardware used in this project were provided as part of the HP Technology for Teaching Higher Education Grant Award 2006 and a generous donation of IBM / Lenovo to D.C.B.. MKSAP was provided under a special license free of charge by The American College of Physicians (ACP), GESAP and additional endoscopic multimedia training materials were donated by The American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE), DDSEP and other multimedia training resources were donated by the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA), and Springer Publishers provides access free of charge to its large eBook collection for the duration of this project. This project has been supported in part by the Charité Vice Dean for Education's Office and funds of the eLWISmed initiative of the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research. PIA Viewpoint software was provided by GE Healthcare. Most programs were written using open source software including MySQL and Mozilla.

Legal Disclaimer & Privacy Policy

The author reserves the right not to be responsible for the topicality, correctness, completeness or quality of the information provided. Liability claims regarding damage caused by the use of any information provided, including any kind of information which is incomplete or incorrect, will therefore be rejected. All offers are not-binding and without obligation. Parts of the pages or the complete publication including all offers and information might be extended, changed or partly or completely deleted by the author without separate announcement. The author is not responsible for any contents linked or referred to from his pages - unless he has full knowledge of illegal contents and would be able to prevent the visitors of his site from viewing those pages. If any damage occurs by the use of information presented there, only the author of the respective pages might be liable, not the one who has linked to these pages. Furthermore the author is not liable for any postings or messages published by users of discussion boards, guest books or mailing lists provided on his page. The author intended not to use any copyrighted material for the publication or, if not possible, to indicate the copyright of the respective object. The copyright for any material created by the author is reserved. Any duplication or use of objects such as diagrams, sounds or texts in other electronic or printed publications is not permitted without the author's agreement. If the opportunity for the input of personal or business data (email addresses, name, addresses) is given, the input of these data takes place voluntarily. The use and payment of all offered services are permitted - if and so far technically possible and reasonable - without specification of any personal data or under specification of anonymous data or an alias. This disclaimer is to be regarded as part of the internet publication which you were referred from. If sections or individual terms of this statement are not legal or correct, the content or validity of the other parts remain uninfluenced by this fact. While there may be information on this website related to certain medical conditions and their treatment, should a medical condition exist, promptly see your own physician or health care provider. We do not offer personalized medical diagnosis or patient-specific treatment advice. Indeed, only your doctor or other health care professional, as a learned intermediary, can determine if a product described in this, or any, website is appropriate for you.

PLEASE CONSULT WITH YOUR DOCTOR, OR OTHER QUALIFIED HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONAL BEFORE USING ANY PRODUCT DISCUSSED WITHIN THIS, OR ANY OTHER, WEBSITE.