There is a very interesting article in the latest issue of Radiographics that talks about the future of electronic learning in radiology. To use the link, you will need a subscription personally or through your library. To all residents: membership in the RSNA and access to Radiographics and Radiology is free! Take advantage of it, it’s a great deal.
There are many options for continuing education available on the web. Very little of it is accredited by any association for CE, but websites, blogs and journals provide plenty of opportunity for learning. Examples in radiology include the RSNA site, which provides many lectures from previous RSNA meetings online, and websites that present case material (Radiology Picture of the Day, Case in Point) or general information (Aunt Minnie). The article references several others that find radiologists are interested in online learning, but really prefer to read articles in print and attend courses. Use of structured learning management systems are also underused. Many users browse content without spending enough time to absorb the information.
One barrier to online education is lack of peer review or standards. Traditional journal articles and courses are certified as being high quality, while web-based curricula are usually unrated.
The debate about effective learning is not restricted to online content. Several studies have shown that courses do not actually change the standard of care (2,3). Education needs to be efficient and applicable in order to change the way we practice.
There is support for the idea of “just in time learning” (4). It’s analogous to what we do as residents and clinicians already. When reviewing a particular case, there would be a 5-10 minute review of the essential points on the topic. It’s difficult to imagine how this could be implemented in practice in an automated fashion, but information in small doses, relevant to the case in hand, is very likely to be remembered.
There are many opportunities for us to make the most of education through electronic information and sharing of experience. With our small community of specialists, it’s vital that we distribute as much as we can, and provide forums for incremental and situational learning.
1. Flanders AE. What Is the Future of Electronic Learning in Radiology? Radiographics 2007;27:559-561.
2. Davis DA, Thomson MA, Oxman AD, Haynes RB. Changing physician performance: a systematic review of the effect of continuing medical education strategies. JAMA 1995;274:700–705.
3. Patel MR, Meine TJ, Radeva J, et al. State-mandated continuing medical education and the use of proven therapies in patients with an acute myocardial infarction. J Am Coll Cardiol 2004;44:192-198
4. Kahn CE, Ehlers KC, Wood BP. Radiologists’ preferences for just-in-time learning. J Digit Imaging 2006;19:202–206
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