Implementing virtual microscopy improves outcomes in a hematology morphology course.

In this study, we evaluated the efficacy of virtual microscopy as the primary mode of laboratory instruction in undergraduate level clinical hematology teaching. Distance education (DE) has become a popular option for expanding education and optimizing expenses but continues to be controversial. The challenge of delivering an equitable curriculum to distant locations along with the need to preserve our slide collection directed our effort to digitize the slide sets used in our teaching laboratories. Students enrolled at two performance sites were randomly assigned to either traditional microscopy (TM) or virtual microscopy (VM) instruction. The VM group performed significantly better than the TM group. We anticipate that this approach will play a central role in the distributed delivery of hematology through distance education as new programs are initiated to address workforce shortage needs.

Using online instruction and virtual laboratories to teach hemostasis in a medical laboratory science program.

Hemostasis laboratory testing methods have changed significantly over the past decades, from totally manual, to fully automated methodologies. Most medical laboratory educators prefer to use manual or semiautomated methods to teach hemostasis so that students can "see" what is occurring during the testing method, but many semi-automated instruments are no longer commercially available or are not cost-effective for education programs. In consideration of these factors and due to programmatic expansion to a coordinate campus, the CLS program explored new ways to teach hemostasis methods equitably and affordably across two distant locations. Working with an instructional design team versed in online education, five virtual hemostasis laboratory exercises were created that mimic the manual methodologies. Web-based didactic instruction was also developed to teach the testing theory and pathophysiology related to patient results. The efficacy of the virtual instruction was evaluated through assessment of student performance on exam questions, professional certification scores for the platelet/hemostasis sub-category, student satisfaction surveys, and evaluation of student performance during their clinical experience. Results showed that students in the virtual delivery format performed significantly better on exam questions compared to the traditional delivery method group, but there was no significant difference in their performance on the professional certification exam. Both student and preceptor feedback have been positive on the value of the exercises for students' understanding of hemostasis.

Development of online conferencing and web-based in-service modules for preceptor training.

Over the past five years our clinical laboratory sciences (CLS) program more than doubled student enrollment to help address the workforce shortages in our state. At the same time, medical laboratory technician programs were also increasing enrollment, putting significant pressure on the already limited number of clinical training spaces. To help alleviate the impact on clinical sites, major changes were made to the traditional clinical rotation model; shifting from a clinical training to a clinical experience and a simultaneous decrease in length from 22 to 12 weeks. This change required extensive in-service training for clinical preceptors including rationale for the new clinical experience model, review of student campus education, expectations for preceptors and students, as well as developing and implementing new evaluation methods of student performance. Through funding from the Department of Labor, online interactive modules introducing the concepts of new clinical experience module for both preceptors and for students were developed. To provide a more in-depth and specific in-service for the preceptors, web-conferences were held to describe the students' didactic and laboratory educational background and to discuss the expectations and evaluations of students. Two course management system sites were developed, one for preceptors and one for students, so they could access clinical experience information and materials at any time and from any location. These course sites also allowed us to convert evaluation processes to an online format. Survey feedback from preceptors indicates that this system was well received providing a cost-effective method for preceptor education and communication.

Discouraging academic dishonesty in online courses.

With the development of distance education and blended course delivery formats, our faculty faced new issues related to academic integrity in online testing. Current students often differ in their understanding of what is appropriate academic behavior and what is considered cheating. Enhancing quiz formats and educating faculty and students about academic integrity policies has minimized the situation in our program.

The effects of adding leucine to pre and postexercise carbohydrate beverages on acute muscle recovery from resistance training.

The present study examined the effects of adding leucine to pre and postexercise carbohydrate beverages on selected markers of muscle damage, delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS), and squat performance for up to 72 hours after lower-body resistance training. Seventeen resistance trained men (mean +/- SD age 22.9 +/- 2.9 years) and 3 resistance trained women (mean +/- SD age 21.6 +/- 2.6 years) performed 6 sets of squats to fatigue using 75% of the 1 repetition maximum. Each subject consumed a carbohydrate beverage 30 minutes before and immediately after exercise with or without the addition of 22.5 mgxkg (45 mgxkg total) of leucine in a randomized, double-blind fashion. Serum creatine kinase (CK), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and DOMS were analyzed immediately before (TIME1), 24 (TIME2), 48 (TIME3), and 72 (TIME4) hours after exercise. The subjects repeated the squat protocol at TIME4 to test recovery. No differences were observed between groups for squat performance, defined as the total number of repetitions performed during 6 sets of squats, for both TIME1 and TIME4. The addition of leucine did not significantly decrease CK and LDH activity or DOMS. These results suggested that adding leucine to carbohydrate beverages did not affect acute muscle recovery and squat performance during both initial testing and during a subsequent exercise bout 72 hours later in resistance trained subjects.