Information Technology for postgraduate education: survey of facilities and skills in the South West Deanery

Abstract

Objective To determine the Information Technology (IT) infrastructure available to, and IT skills of, Design Open prospective study.Setting NHS Hospitals in the South West Deanery.Methods l b o separate surveys. Firstly, the computer equipment available to trainees was determined at each hospital in the deanery on site using a software programme. Secondly, IT skills of a sample of 22 specialist registrars were assessed using a checklist at a series of four workshops. Main outcome measuresComputers with sufficient specification to use CD-ROMs, to access the Internet, and to support data-, audio-and video-conferencing. The number of trainees with IT skills to use a computer-aided learning package and the Internet.Results Sixty-six percent of trainees have access to a computer with a CD-ROM drive. Sixty-six percent also have access to the Internet at their place of work. Thirteen percent have access to data-conferencing but there were no computers in the Deanery able to support audio-or video-conferencing. lbenty-five percent of trainees have no IT skills and require basic training in the use of computers. Thirty-six percent of our sample would require training to be able to use computer-based tutorials programs. Seventyseven percent of trainees require training to be able to use the Internet without assistance.Conclusion A significant minority of trainees do not have access to computers with sufficient specification to run basic tutorial programmes or access the Internet. Similarly, a large minority of trainees do not even have a basic knowledge of computer technology and IT training is required for the majority of trainees for them to reap the potential benefits which computer-based tutorials systems and the Internet can give.obstetric specialist registrars across the South West Deanery.

Training the ideal hospital doctor: the specialist registrars’ perspective

“…• The fact that a substantial number of SpRs do not have access to computers, or sufficient ‘know‐how’ to optimally access and use the Internet as a learning tool, should be addressed at the skills as well as the hardware level 9 …”

Medical education with the Internet: a pilot training programme in reproductive medicine

“…Although the potential of the Internet for distance learning is well recognised, there are few examples of successful post graduate medical training delivered in this manner. Following a survey of available computer infrastructure, computer literacy and learning styles of doctors in the South West region of England 1 , an Internet educational programme in reproductive medicine was constructed, delivered and assessed. In this paper we describe an evaluation of worldwide web discussion boards and e‐mail to deliver an interactive case study course in reproductive medicine from the Centre for Reproductive Medicine in Bristol to doctors across the South West Health Region and beyond between April 1998 and August 1998.…”

Information Technology for postgraduate education: survey of facilities and skills in the South West Deanery

“…The recent report of Draycott et al (Vol 106, July 1999) 1 on the facilities and skills of use of information technology (IT) in the South West Deanery is salutary. It is worrying that 25% of trainees have no IT skills and require basic training in the use of computers; in addition 70% of trainees require training to be able to use the Internet without assistance.…”

“…The report by Draycott et al 1 should now prompt making IT training mandatory for all trainees and trainers, recognising the cost implications. It is hoped this measure will encourage more trainees and trainers to use the Internet, noting the limitations of the Internet as poignantly expressed by McKeown 5 : “the access to this knowledge seems guarded by those who speak jargon that is worse than medical abbreviations ‐ http://www.we-know-and-you-don't.com”.…”