Investigating the validity of web-enabled mechanistic case diagramming scores to assess students' integration of foundational and clinical sciences.

As medical schools have changed their curricula to address foundational and clinical sciences in a more integrated fashion, teaching methods such as concept mapping have been incorporated in small group learning settings. Methods that can assess students' ability to apply such integrated knowledge are not as developed, however. The purpose of this project was to assess the validity of scores on a focused version of concept maps called mechanistic case diagrams (MCDs), which are hypothesized to enhance existing tools for assessing integrated knowledge that supports clinical reasoning. The data were from the medical school graduating class of 2018 (N = 136 students). In 2014-2015 we implemented a total of 16 case diagrams in case analysis groups within the Mechanisms of Health and Disease (MOHD) strand of the pre-clinical curriculum. These cases were based on topics being taught during the lectures and small group sessions for MOHD. We created an overall score across all 16 cases for each student. We then correlated these scores with performance in the preclinical curriculum [as assessed by overall performance in MOHD integrated foundational basic science courses and overall performance in the Clinical and Professional Skills (CAPS) courses], and standardized licensing exam scores [United States Medical Licensing Exam (USMLE)] Step 1 (following core clerkships) and Step 2 Clinical Knowledge (at the beginning of the fourth year of medical school). MCD scores correlated with students' overall basic science scores (r = .46, p = .0002) and their overall performance in Clinical and Professional Skills courses (r = .49, p < .0001). In addition, they correlated significantly with standardized exam measures, including USMLE Step 1 (r = .33, p ≤ .0001), and USMLE Step 2 CK (r = .39, p < .0001). These results provide preliminary validity evidence that MCDs may be useful in identifying students who have difficulty in integrating foundational and clinical sciences.

Web-Enabled Mechanistic Case Diagramming: A Novel Tool for Assessing Students' Ability to Integrate Foundational and Clinical Sciences.

PROBLEM: As medical schools move from discipline-based courses to more integrated approaches, identifying assessment tools that parallel this change is an important goal. APPROACH: The authors describe the use of test item statistics to assess the reliability and validity of web-enabled mechanistic case diagrams (MCDs) as a potential tool to assess students' ability to integrate basic science and clinical information. Students review a narrative clinical case and construct an MCD using items provided by the case author. Students identify the relationships among underlying risk factors, etiology, pathogenesis and pathophysiology, and the patients' signs and symptoms. They receive one point for each correctly identified link. OUTCOMES: In 2014-2015 and 2015-2016, case diagrams were implemented in consecutive classes of 150 medical students. The alpha reliability coefficient for the overall score, constructed using each student's mean proportion correct across all cases, was 0.82. Discrimination indices for each of the case scores with the overall score ranged from 0.23 to 0.51. In a G study using those students with complete data (n = 251) on all 16 cases, 10% of the variance was true score variance, and systematic case variance was large. Using 16 cases generated a G coefficient (relative score reliability) equal to 0.72 and a Phi equal to 0.65. NEXT STEPS: The next phase of the project will involve deploying MCDs in higher-stakes settings to determine whether similar results can be achieved. Further analyses will determine whether these assessments correlate with other measures of higher-order thinking skills.

New web-based applications for mechanistic case diagramming.

The goal of mechanistic case diagraming (MCD) is to provide students with more in-depth understanding of cause and effect relationships and basic mechanistic pathways in medicine. This will enable them to better explain how observed clinical findings develop from preceding pathogenic and pathophysiological events. The pedagogic function of MCD is in relating risk factors, disease entities and morphology, signs and symptoms, and test and procedure findings in a specific case scenario with etiologic pathogenic and pathophysiological sequences within a flow diagram. In this paper, we describe the addition of automation and predetermined lists to further develop the original concept of MCD as described by Engelberg in 1992 and Guerrero in 2001. We demonstrate that with these modifications, MCD is effective and efficient in small group case-based teaching for second-year medical students (ratings of ~3.4 on a 4.0 scale). There was also a significant correlation with other measures of competency, with a 'true' score correlation of 0.54. A traditional calculation of reliability showed promising results (α =0.47) within a low stakes, ungraded environment. Further, we have demonstrated MCD's potential for use in independent learning and TBL. Future studies are needed to evaluate MCD's potential for use in medium stakes assessment or self-paced independent learning and assessment. MCD may be especially relevant in returning students to the application of basic medical science mechanisms in the clinical years.

Competency assessment of residents in surgical pathology using virtual microscopy.

Our goal was to develop an efficient and reliable performance-based virtual slide competency examination in general surgical pathology that objectively measures pathology resident's morphologic diagnostic skill. A Perl scripted MySQL database was used to develop the test editor and test interface. Virtual slides were created with the Aperio ScanScope. The examination consisted of 20 questions using 20 virtual slides. Slides were chosen to represent general surgical pathology specimens from a variety of organ systems. The examination was administered in a secure environment and was completed in 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Examination reliability, as an indicator of the test's ability to discriminate between trainee ability levels, was excellent (r = 0.84). The linear correlation coefficient of virtual slide competency examination score versus months of surgical pathology training was 0.83 (P = .0001). The learning curve was much steeper early in training. Correlation of virtual slide competency examination performance with resident's performance on the 64 item Resident In-Service Examination surgical pathology subsection was 0.70. Correlation of virtual slide competency examination performance with global end of rotation ratings was 0.28. This pilot implementation demonstrates that it is possible to create a short, reliable performance-based assessment tool for measuring morphologic diagnostic skill using a virtual slide competency examination. Furthermore, the examination as implemented in our program will be a valid measure of an individual resident's progress in morphologic competency. Virtual slide technology and computer accessibility have advanced to the point that the virtual slide competency examination model implemented in our program could have applicability across multiple residency programs.

Virtual microscopy in pathology education.

Technology for acquisition of virtual slides was developed in 1985; however, it was not until the late 1990s that desktop computers had enough processing speed to commercialize virtual microscopy and apply the technology to education. By 2000, the progressive decrease in use of traditional microscopy in medical student education had set the stage for the entry of virtual microscopy into medical schools. Since that time, it has been successfully implemented into many pathology courses in the United States and around the world, with surveys indicating that about 50% of pathology courses already have or expect to implement virtual microscopy. Over the last decade, in addition to an increasing ability to emulate traditional microscopy, virtual microscopy has allowed educators to take advantage of the accessibility, efficiency, and pedagogic versatility of the computer and the Internet. The cost of virtual microscopy in education is now quite reasonable after taking into account replacement cost for microscopes, maintenance of glass slides, and the fact that 1-dimensional microscope space can be converted to multiuse computer laboratories or research. Although the current technology for implementation of virtual microscopy in histopathology education is very good, it could be further improved upon by better low-power screen resolution and depth of field. Nevertheless, virtual microscopy is beginning to play an increasing role in continuing education, house staff education, and evaluation of competency in histopathology. As Z-axis viewing (focusing) becomes more efficient, virtual microscopy will also become integrated into education in cytology, hematology, microbiology, and urinalysis.

A Web-based database for pathology faculty effort reporting.

To ensure appropriate mission-based budgeting and equitable distribution of funds for faculty salaries, our compensation committee developed a pathology-specific effort reporting database. Principles included the following: (1) measurement should be done by web-based databases; (2) most entry should be done by departmental administration or be relational to other databases; (3) data entry categories should be aligned with funding streams; and (4) units of effort should be equal across categories of effort (service, teaching, research). MySQL was used for all data transactions (http://dev.mysql.com/downloads), and scripts were constructed using PERL (http://www.perl.org). Data are accessed with forms that correspond to fields in the database. The committee's work resulted in a novel database using pathology value units (PVUs) as a standard quantitative measure of effort for activities in an academic pathology department. The most common calculation was to estimate the number of hours required for a specific task, divide by 2080 hours (a Medicare year) and then multiply by 100. Other methods included assigning a baseline PVU for program, laboratory, or course directorship with an increment for each student or staff in that unit. With these methods, a faculty member should acquire approximately 100 PVUs. Some outcomes include (1) plotting PVUs versus salary to identify outliers for salary correction, (2) quantifying effort in activities outside the department, (3) documenting salary expenditure for unfunded research, (4) evaluating salary equity by plotting PVUs versus salary by sex, and (5) aggregating data by category of effort for mission-based budgeting and long-term planning.

Utility of 2-D and 3-D virtual microscopy in cervical cytology education and testing.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of 3-D vs. 2-D virtual microscopy as adjuncts to education and assessment in cervical cytology. STUDY DESIGN: Five cervical cytology slides were acquired in 2-D; then the identical area of the slide was acquired in 3-D, resulting in 2 sets of virtual slides for comparison with the original glass slide. Seventy-nine paid volunteer cytologists and cytotechnology students participated. Approximately half were sent the 2-D set of slides via the Web, and the others a 3-D set of slides on a DVD. Evaluators examined the virtual slides and committed to an interpretation. After receipt of the original glass slides, a second interpretation was made, if different from the virtual slide interpretation. RESULTS: Diagnostic accuracy using virtual cytology slides was similar to that for glass slides (94% vs. 96%). There was no difference in diagnostic accuracy between 2-D and 3-D slides (p = 0.28); however, the ability to focus 3-D slides in the z-axis was strongly endorsed by the participants because of the uncertainty and frustration of having some cells out of focus on 2-D virtual slides. CONCLUSION: There was consensus that virtual cervical cytology slides would be a useful augmentation to education and testing.

Teaching medical pathology in the twenty-first century: virtual microscopy applications.

Virtual microscopy (VM) has been implemented and evaluated in the histology and general and systemic pathology courses at the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine. Advantages of VM over traditional microscopy include accessibility and efficiency of learning and the ability to integrate VM with computer-assisted interactive learning. Advantages of using VM as opposed to digital photomicrographs include the ability to pan and zoom, explore the slide, and make independent observations. Although VM is used in a case-based format for teaching histopathology to medical students at the University of Iowa, VM may also be effectively implemented in other medical-student teaching models, including integrated and problem-based learning curricula and the classical pathology laboratory. Additional Iowa venues and courses using VM teaching include pathology of human disease for bioscience graduate students, cytology education, a comparative pathology research resource, and histology and histopathology for veterinary medicine. This article reviews the history and evolution of VM in medical pathology and its implementation at Iowa.

Alcohol consumption and risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma: a pooled analysis.

BACKGROUND: Previous epidemiological studies of the relation between alcohol consumption and risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) have been inconsistent, probably because of small sample sizes of individual studies that result from stratification by NHL subtype and type of alcoholic beverage. We aimed to assess the role of alcohol consumption in NHL with sufficient sample size to analyse by both type of alcoholic beverage and disease subtype. METHODS: We obtained original data from nine case-control studies from the USA, UK, Sweden, and Italy in the International Lymphoma Epidemiology Consortium (InterLymph), yielding a pooled study population of 15 175 individuals (6492 cases and 8683 controls). We derived odds ratios (OR) and 95% CI from unconditional logistic regression models, controlling for study centre and other confounding factors. Heterogeneity between studies was assessed by comparison of results from joint fixed-effects logistic regression and two-stage random-effects logistic regression, and by calculation of Wald chi(2) statistics. FINDINGS: People who drank alcohol had a lower risk of NHL than did non-drinkers (OR 0.83 [95% CI 0.76-0.89]). Compared with non-drinkers, risk estimates were lower for current drinkers than for former drinkers (0.73 [0.64-0.84] vs 0.95 [0.80-1.14]), but risk did not decrease with increasing alcohol consumption. The protective effect of alcohol did not vary by beverage type, but did change with NHL subtype. The lowest risk estimates were recorded for Burkitt's lymphoma (0.51 [0.33-0.77]). INTERPRETATION: People who drink alcoholic beverages might have a lower risk of NHL than those who do not, and this risk might vary by NHL subtype. Further study designs are needed to determine whether confounding lifestyle factors or immunomodulatory effects of alcohol explain this association.

Cigarette smoking and risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma: a pooled analysis from the International Lymphoma Epidemiology Consortium (interlymph).

BACKGROUND: The International Lymphoma Epidemiology Consortium (InterLymph) provides an opportunity to analyze the relationship between cigarette smoking and non-Hodgkin lymphoma with sufficient statistical power to consider non-Hodgkin lymphoma subtype. The results from previous studies of this relationship have been inconsistent, likely due to the small sample sizes that arose from stratification by disease subtype. To clarify the role of cigarette smoking in the etiology of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, we conducted a pooled analysis of original patient data from nine case-control studies of non-Hodgkin lymphoma conducted in the United States, Europe, and Australia. METHODS: Original data were obtained from each study and uniformly coded. Risk estimates from fixed-effects and two-stage random-effects models were compared to determine the impact of interstudy heterogeneity. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were derived from unconditional logistic regression models, controlling for study center, age, sex, and race. RESULTS: In our pooled study population of 6,594 cases and 8,892 controls, smoking was associated with slightly increased risk estimates (OR, 1.07; 95% CI, 1.00-1.15). Stratification by non-Hodgkin lymphoma subtype revealed that the most consistent association between cigarette smoking and non-Hodgkin lymphoma was observed among follicular lymphomas (n = 1452). Compared with nonsmokers, current smokers had a higher OR for follicular lymphoma (1.31; 95% CI, 1.12-1.52) than former smokers (1.06; 95% CI, 0.93-1.22). Current heavy smoking (> or = 36 pack-years) was associated with a 45% increased OR for follicular lymphoma (1.45; 95% CI, 1.15-1.82) compared with nonsmokers. CONCLUSIONS: Cigarette smoking may increase the risk of developing follicular lymphoma but does not seem to affect risk of the other non-Hodgkin lymphoma subtypes we examined. Future research is needed to determine the biological mechanism responsible for our subtype-specific results.

Virtual microscopy for learning and assessment in pathology.

Virtual slides are high-magnification digital images of tissue sections, stored in a multi-resolution file format. Using appropriate software, these slides can be viewed in a web browser in a manner that closely simulates examination of glass slides with a real microscope. We describe the successful implementation of teaching microscopic pathology with virtual slides and, for the first time, their use in summative assessment. Both students and teaching staff readily adapted to the use of virtual microscopy. Questionnaire feedback from students strongly indicated that virtual slides solved a number of problems in their learning, while providing good to excellent image quality. A deliberate policy of allocating two students per workstation promoted collaboration and helped to maintain interest in microscopic pathology. The use of a secure browser facilitated assessment using virtual slides, with no technical or security issues arising despite high peak demand. The new Medicine programme at the University of New South Wales will exclusively utilize virtual microscopy for the study of both histology and histopathology. We believe that the use of high-quality learning resources such as virtual slides can ensure that microscopic examination of tissues remains both meaningful and interesting.

Implementation of virtual microscope slides in the annual pathobiology of cancer workshop laboratory.

Virtual slides are digital facsimiles of glass microscope slides that, when viewed with a pan and zoom viewer, can emulate viewing a glass slide with a traditional microscope. Based on successful implementation of virtual slides in medical student histology and pathology courses at the University of Iowa, we developed a plan to evaluate the use of virtual slides in the American Association for Cancer Research's annual Pathobiology of Cancer Workshop. In this Workshop, nonphysician predoctoral students and postdoctoral fellows working in cancer research explore the morphological, clinical, and molecular aspects of human cancer. Over the course of a week, students examine approximately 100 glass slides in microscope laboratories, facilitated by senior cancer investigators. The goal of the present study was to evaluate virtual slides as a teaching modality in these laboratories, not as a replacement for traditional microscopy, but rather in terms of their utility in facilitating student learning as they examine glass slides with a traditional microscope. Evaluation by questionnaire indicated that virtual slides enhanced students' ability to grasp morphological features better than the traditional photomicrographs. The results of this implementation suggest that virtual slide technology may be successfully extended to other educational venues where traditional microscopy and photomicrographs are currently used.