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Pathology Informatics Training for Residents: A “Virtual Rotation” Solution at The University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics
Jill M. Hagenkord, MD (jhagenk@yahoo.com), George Johnson, PhD, Fred R Dee MD. Department of Pathology, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, IA.
Context: Pathology informatics is increasingly recognized as an important component of pathology training, and efforts are being made to not only provide informatics training in residency programs, but also to standardize the scope and objectives of this training. Rate limiting factors in this process include 1) many programs have limited access to pathology informatics expertise and resources, 2) a dedicated informatics rotation is difficult to carve out of an already crowded schedule, and 3) existing informatics training at one institution cannot be easily emulated by other programs due to incompatible rotation structures. We have devised a novel e-learning solution using course management software which circumvents these limitations.
Technology: Desire2Learn course management software (Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario, Canada) was used to design a “virtual” pathology informatics rotation for the residents at The University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics (UIHC). The course can be easily migrated to alternative course management tools such at WebCT or Blackboard.
Design: The course is web-based and self-paced. Therefore, it can accommodate various rotation structures. The course is based on the model designed by faculty at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) Pathology Informatics Center, (Archives of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine v;pp;2003). In addition, the course includes links to the UPMC Pathology Informatics Boot Camp lecture series (http://apiii.upmc.edu/). The lectures supplement reading assignments from John Sinard’s text, Practical Pathology Informatics: Demystifying informatics for the practicing anatomic pathologist (Springer; October 3, 2005). For each module, the resident reads the text, views the lectures, completes an online self-assessment, and then meets briefly with a coordinator to perform a module-specific exercise. For example, as the exercise for the digital imaging module, the resident meets with the supervisor of our basic photographic/graphic services area to learn how to take, enhance, and save quality digital images. Module topics and depth of coverage are directed at the level of general practicing pathologist. Course progress as well as completion of the pre-test, post-test, and course survey can be tracked electronically by an administrative assistant.
Results: Three modules have been fully developed. Beta-testing by five residents at UIHC has been very positive, and implementation of this virtual pathology informatics rotation at our institution will begin in 2006-2007.
Conclusion: This novel e-learning solution addresses and overcomes some of the common barriers to standardized pathology informatics training in residency programs. We are eagar to work with other institutions to migrate this course to their institutional course managent software.
Jill Hagenkord, a pathology resident at the University of Iowa, a pathology resident at the University of Iowa, will at the time of presentation be a pathology/oncology informatics fellow, Department of Pathology; Center for Pathology Informatics, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA.