Access, attitudes and training in information technologies and evidence-based medicine among medical students at University of Zimbabwe College of Health Sciences

Abstract

Abstract:Background: The Medical Education Partnership Initiative, has helped to mitigate the digital divide in Africa. The aim of the study was to assess the level of access, attitude, and training concerning meaningful use of electronic resources and EBM among medical students at an African medical school. Methods: The study involved medical students at the University of Zimbabwe College of Health Sciences, Harare. The needs assessment tool consisted of a 21-question, paper-based, voluntary and anonymous survey. Results: A total of 61/67 (91%), responded to the survey. 60% of the medical students were 'third-year medical students'. Among medical students, 85% of responders had access to digital medical resources, but 54% still preferred printed medical textbooks. Although 25% of responders had received training in EBM, but only 7% found it adequate. 98% of the participants did not receive formal training in journal club presentation or analytical reading of medical literature, but 77 % of them showed interest in learning these skills. Conclusion: Lack of training in EBM, journal club presentation and analytical reading skills have limited the impact of upgraded technology in enhancing the level of knowledge. This impact can be boosted by developing a curriculum with skills necessary in using EBM.

Better evidence: prospective cohort study assessing the utility of an evidence-based clinical resource at the University of Rwanda

“…Our findings represent the first prospective cohort study of medical students in Africa and suggest that access to devices and the internet might not be a significant barrier for African medical students wishing to access online resources. Our findings align with observations from a 2016 study in Zimbabwe and contrast two earlier studies in Nigeria published in 2004 and 2008 that suggest lack of access to internet 20-22. The differences might be related to the passage of time or resource availability differences between Rwanda and Nigeria.…”

Análise do Acesso à Informação Acadêmica entre Estudantes de Medicina Inseridos numa Metodologia Ativa de Aprendizagem

“…Visando comparar as opiniões dos acadêmicos quanto às preferências de meios de estudo rotineiros e ao treinamento em recursos digitais, foram confrontados os resultados desta pesquisa com outra realizada entre estudantes de Medicina da Faculdade de Ciências de Saúde da Universidade de Zimbabwe 10 , a qual demonstrou que a maior parte (85%) dos alunos pesquisados tinha acesso a recursos médicos digitais e impressos, e, destes, mais da metade (54%) preferiu livros impressos. Tal pesquisa corrobora o presente estudo, no qual a 180 maior parte da amostra (57,7%) também possuía acesso à literatura científica, incluída neste conjunto de recursos médicos.…”

New Media, Technology and Neurology Education

“…Other challenges include low sample sizes by nature of increasingly small learner groups as trainees subspecialize (which may be offset by multi-institutional studies at the cost of internal control), the lack of adoption of other educators' interventions in favor of developing one's own, and global digital divideinequality in access to educational material in parts of the world with a lack of internet availability, necessary hardware or software, or trained personnel with the computer literacy to use sophisticated technological tools. 11,49 The field is in need of educators who would innovate in a scholarly way. When validating a technology by measuring learning gains, one may consider investigating an additional aspect of the technology as a secondary aim to move the field forward.…”