The following abstracts have been accepted for presentation at this meeting in Poster format in the category of Computer Demonstrations.  Those selected for Oral Poster Presentations are so designated in the far right column.
 
 

CD1	BEN www.biosciednet.org  A PORTAL SITE FOR TEACHERS OF BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES. Marguerite W. Coomes, Ph.D.* and Yolanda S. George, Ph.D., Directorate for Education and Human Resources, The American Association for the Advancement of Science, Washington, DC 20005  U.S.A. Many organizations that represent biological sciences have created, or are in the process of creating, digital libraries dedicated to enhancing the teaching of biological sciences. These libraries frequently contain information that crosses disciplinary borders. To facilitate the task of the educator wishing to search several databases for a given topic, AAAS, with funding from NSF, is introducing a portal site to the individual discipline-based libraries. A single search using this portal site will locate any appropriate resources from all the libraries at one time. The individual societies will retain the copyright to materials on their sites, and determine how the materials are to be used. Educators will be asked to fill out a short profile to register, and it is expected that most materials will be free to educators to use in their courses.  Partner societies for  BEN (biosciednet) include the following: APS (American Physiological Society), ASBMB (American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology), ASM (American Society for Microbiology), NHM-AE (National Health Museum-Access Excellence), STKE (Science’s Signal Transduction Knowledge Environment), and SOT (Society of Toxicology). Other partners will be added later. Materials available will include animations, audio files, videos, diagrams, graphs/charts, 35mm slides, illustrations, photographs, images, simulations, applications, laboratory exercises, and assessment tools, including exams with answer keys. New contributions will be solicited, with the option to have these contributions peer-reviewed as a publication. The BEN portal currently provides access to over 680 resources from 30 biological science disciplines and of 21 resource types. BEN offers material that will enrich the teaching of both basic and clinical material to medical students.
CD2	COMPUTER ASSISTED INSTRUCTION FOR BIOMEDICAL EDUCATION Zarco de Coronado I, Ph.D*  Programmers: Aragón H.R., Ortega RR, Limón CD and Lara RF, Ph.D. Departamento de Fisiología, Facultad de Medicina and Facultad de Ingenieria. UNAM C.P. 70250  México We have developed a computer multimedia program named "The Cardiac Cycle". The present study was designed to compare the outcomes of self and group learning using the software. 28 students of the second year of medical school we invited to a 50 min teacher guided class with the projection of the computer program. 10 students missed the projection of the program. One week later all of them were evaluated using a 25 item questionnaire. The last 10 students were invited to use the program by themselves (approximately 35 min each one). After one month, a final test was applied without prior notice. Within and between groups test scores were compared using paired an unpaired t test. There were no significant differences between male and female student scores. After one month there was a significant increase of the score after using the program individually (P<.01). There was a significant decrease (p<0.5) in the test scores of the 18 students of the group, but the results were still better than with regular class. This study suggests that an adequate learning of the cardiac physiology can be achieved with either group or individual sessions.
CD3	LOTUS NOTES-LEARNING SPACE INTERACTIVE COMPUTER-ASSISTED LEARNING  L.L. Elizondo, M.D.*, Ignacio A. Santos School of Medicine, Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey, Monterrey, Nuevo León  Mexico In this technological era, computer-assisted learning and on line courses are gaining their place as teaching-learning tools.  At the Ignacio A. Santos School of Medicine of the ITESM we have been using Lotus Notes-Learning Space as a set of databases where all information about a course is placed.  Lotus Notes consists of 5 databases: Schedule:  contains information about the course, such as: introduction, objectives, aims, relation to other courses of the career, contents, specific objectives, teaching-learning strategies, learning activities, learning spaces, agenda or timetable, resources, assessment system, etc. Course Room: an electronic classroom space subdivided into an assignments section, where students electronically hand their homework in, and discussion, where discussion among students and teachers takes place. Media Center:  an electronic library where web sites and written materials are available. Profile: contains students’ teams’ and teachers’ profiles Assessment: electronic assessment tools are included. Students, as well as teachers, have their own password and proper authorizations to access the course through Lotus Notes.  There are many advantages of using Lotus Notes as a computer-assisted learning tool, among which are:  information about the course is permanent, and students can have access to it during the whole semester, there is no need to print the case/problems and chase students, whole course is organized in every detail from the very beginning of the semester, students know what has to be done beforehand, electronic discussion saves some class time, it is more attractive to students, it can be interactive and course enrichment is enhanced by the end of the semester through students contributions.  A complete demonstration of its usefulness will be presented.	ORAL
CD4	INTEGRATING LEARNING OF BASIC SCIENCE CONCEPTS AND STANDARDIZED PHYSICAL EXAM SKILLS IN COMBINED CLINICAL SKILLS/BASIC SCIENCE COURSE SESSIONS FOR FIRST YEAR MEDICAL STUDENTS Edward J. Gurza, M.D.*, Michael Koller, M.D., Valerie McClusky, and Pamela L. Derstine, Ph.D., Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, IL 60153  U.S.A. Our students take the Introduction to the Practice of Medicine (IPM) clinical skills course throughout medical school.1  During year one, they learn standard normal physical exam (PE) steps that relate to the content of their concurrent basic science course.  This takes place in 6 combined IPM/basic science sessions that include:  head/neck exam (as they dissect the head/neck in Gross Anatomy); thorax exam (as they dissect the thorax and respiratory system); abdominal exam (as they dissect the abdominal cavity); knee exam (as they dissect joints/lower limb); lung exam (as they learn pulmonary physiology); and cardiovascular exam (as they learn cardiovascular physiology).  Third-year medical students, who meet with faculty before each session to review the basic science and PE steps, facilitate the combined sessions, demonstrating skills and giving students feedback as they practice on each other. We have developed a multimedia CD-ROM that combines the demonstration of each exam step on a standardized patient (QuickTime movie) with a review of the relevant basic science including sound files, picture overlays, charts, graphs, etc.  The CD is given to students as they begin the IPM course to be used as preparation before, during, and review after each session.  Students are assessed in an OSCE at the end of semester one (covers three combined sessions with Gross Anatomy) and in a comprehensive OSCE near the end of semester two, after all six combined sessions have been held.   Third-year students, who often don’t receive careful instruction and feedback on their PE skills from busy Housestaff and Attendings, also benefit by having a comprehensive review of the institutional standard for PE steps and relevant basic science concepts.  This 2-CD set will be available for viewing at the poster.  A CD-ROM containing the normal neurological exam plus review of neuroscience basic concepts is in development, as well as a CD-ROM containing focused PE steps for abnormal heart, abdomen, etc.  These will be incorporated into combined IPM sessions with Neuroscience and Pathology in year 2, facilitated by senior medical students, in which normal PE skills are reinforced before learning PE skills for abnormal systems.  1. Gurza, E.J. and Derstine, P.L. (2001).  A 360-degree feedback approach to develop and assess preclinical medical students’ clinical skills  IAMSE 5th Annual Meeting.	ORAL
CD5	AN INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATION TO CREATE PROBLEM-BASED, COMPUTER CASE-SIMULATIONS DESIGNED TO IMPROVE NEUROLOGY RESIDENT TRAINING IN SPAIN Javier Judez, M.D., Fundacion de Ciencias de la and Salud (Foundation for Health Sciences), Madrid, Spain, and J. Hurley Myers, Ph.D.* Departments of Physiology and Medicine, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, and DxR Development Group, Inc., Carbondale, IL 62901, U.S.A. Despite numerous medical conferences available in Spain, there is no specific forum where neurology residents can meet for educational updates designed to complement their training.  To help meet this need, the Foundation for Health Sciences assembled an international team composed of Spanish neurologists, medical educators, and software developers.  The Foundation charged this team with the task of creating computer clinical case simulations that could be used as part of a continuing medical education (CME) program designed to give neurology residents in Spain the opportunity to sharpen, review and assess their clinical reasoning, diagnostic, and management skills. While this CME activity has been designed to meet specific educational objectives related to graduate neurology training, we believe that the approach used could serve as an effective working model for all levels of health care professional education in which there is a need to introduce and use computer clinical case simulations.  The purpose of this presentation, therefore, is to 1) demonstrate “PIRAMYDE Neurología”, the Spanish Neurology adaptation of DxR Clinician, 2) describe how the “PIRAMYDE Neurología” cases will be used during and after the CME conference to help educate Neurology residents in areas related to important neurological pathologies (e.g., epilepsy, Alzheimer, Parkinson, headache), and finally, 3) discuss challenges and successes of translating/creating a Spanish version of a complex English computer case simulation program.
CD6	QUICKTIME VR ANATOMICAL RESOURCE – A LIBRARY OF VIRTUAL ANATOMICAL OBJECTS FOR GROSS ANATOMY EDUCATORS Gary L. Nieder, Ph.D*., Frank Nagy, Ph.D., John C. Pearson, Ph.D. and Lynn Wagner, Department of Anatomy, Wright State University School of Medicine, Dayton, OH 45435  U.S.A.  The QuickTime VR object format has been successfully used to provide photorealistic representation of three dimensional anatomical structures. This technique creates the impression of holding a specimen and turning it for observation. The QTVR object metaphor can also be modified to interactively show other properties of a specimen such as internal movement or multiple levels of dissection. Our early efforts in producing QTVR anatomical objects has progressed into an on-line library of over 80 specimens, which can be accessed by educators, students and other interested parties through a password protected web site, the QTVR Anatomical Resource (www.anatomy.wright.edu/qtvr). The library is organized by object type: skeletal preparations; organs grouped by system; regional dissections; and miscellaneous specimens. The skeletal portion is most complete at this time with 55  objects including all of the major bones: skull including ear ossicles and hyoid; fetal skulls; bones of the axial skeleton; and bones of the limbs. Certain groups of bones are also shown assembled, such as the hand and foot and several bones are represented by more than one specimen to highlight individual variations. Isolated whole and partially dissected organs include the heart, brain, kidney, liver, spleen and testis. Several regional dissections are available: knee; hand at multiple levels; and head at multiple levels. All of the QTVR objects can be downloaded for use in classroom presentations, web pages or multimedia program development In addition to standard QTVR objects, we have recently implemented a different type of image format which facilitates high resolution virtual object distribution via an “image streaming” system. The usefulness of high resolution photo-realistic virtual objects, such as those made with QTVR technology is limited to some extent by the very large file sizes involved and hence lengthy downloads over typical Internet connections. With this image streaming system (Zoomify™) the user can zoom in on a high resolution virtual object, downloading only the image data needed. The QTVRAR library includes Zoomify objects for certain specimens in addition to standard QTVR objects. In the two months since the release of the QTVRAR in January 2002, 270 users from 41 countries have registered for the password. The total number of object movies served to these users has been over 2300. (Supported by grant LM06924 from the National Library of Medicine)
CD7	NEUROLOGICAL TEACHING VIDEOS - A DATABASE-DRIVEN WEBSITE FOR DISTRIBUTION OF QUICKTIME STREAMING VIDEOS TO NEUROSCIENCE EDUCATORS.  John C. Pearson, Ph.D.*, Gary L. Nieder, Ph.D., Thomas Mathews, M.D., Mark Anderson, B.T. and Matthew Beach, B.S.  Departments of Anatomy, Neurology and Interdisciplinary Teaching, Wright State University School of Medicine, Dayton, OH  45435  U.S.A.  Patient demonstrations and videotape recordings are important tools for teaching neurology within the classroom.  However, the effectiveness of these methods is limited by: (1) unreliable patient availability; (2) costs involved in copying and distributing analog videotape; and, (3) the inability of either format to provide convenient review and reinforcement of physical exam instruction before performance-based testing. Our objective is to remove limitations to the use of live patients and videotape by providing easy access to digital videos designed for distribution over computer networks and playback on student desktop computers.  We previously described video capture and compression parameters for delivery of neurologic QuickTime streaming videos (Pearson, et. al., 1999, SOL/CHES Proceedings, Phila).  The present report describes the creation and use of the Neurological Teaching Videos (NTV) website where videos and other teaching resources are stored in a database that is searchable within the HTML environment.  Our site (www.ntv.wright.edu) is contained on a Macintosh G3 computer (400mHz; 256MB RAM) running Mac OS X-Apache web server software.  The site is designed to: (1) permit external online searches to identify signs, symptoms and diagnoses contained in the database; (2) provide onsite searching, browsing and preview of video files; and (3) maintain patient privacy though a site password system. The database-driven website is built around: (1) FileMaker 5 database software, (2) Macromedia Dreamweaver, and (3) Lasso software which makes the FileMaker database accessible through an HTML environment.  Video files exist as:  (1) short clips that depict individual neurologic signs or symptoms, and (2) long movies depicting series of tests that together comprise the physical exam.  Highly compressed versions of the short clips are provided for search and preview over open Internet.  FileMaker records are indexed using Medical Subject Heading (MeSH) vocabulary, when possible.  Our strategy is for client institutions to incorporate these videos into their own curricula and distribute them 'on-demand' via Local Area Network to their students.  We feel this will supplement the usefulness of live patients and existing analog video recordings as a learning tools, and help bring  performance-based testing to higher prominence in neurology education. (Supported by grant LM06945 from the National Library of Medicine).	ORAL
CD8	USING WEB-BASED CROSSWORD PUZZLES FOR MEDICAL EDUCATION: EXPERIENCE IN AN ENDOCRINOLOGY –REPRODUCTION COURSE Edward R. Smith*, Steve Lieberman, Don Brunder and Ann Frye, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX  77550  U.S.A. Introduction:  Every area of expertise in medicine has its own vocabulary, which must be mastered by the medical student.  In our course, terms in the fields of endocrinology and obstetrics-gynecology were of interest.   Rather than requiring the students to just memorize the terms, we decided to make a game of learning the terms.  The basis of our game was the well-known crossword puzzle.  We posted a crossword puzzle each week during the seven-week course. The puzzle on a given week was based on the material covered in lecture and the case.  As an added incentive we offered those students who were among the first ten to complete the puzzle each week a chance at a $100 gift certificate good at the medical bookstore. Materials and Methods:  The crossword puzzles were prepared using the Crossword Compiler (version 5.1 copyright Antony Lewis). The program allowed us to input our vocabulary words with clues and automatically created a crossword puzzle that could be posted to a web page with minor manipulations.  We attempted to use the program Director (Macromedia) to prepare crossword puzzles but this proved more difficult. The students were surveyed at the end of the course on their use of the crossword programs. Results:  Sixty nine percent of the students attempted or completed the crossword puzzles.  Over 50% of students thought that the crossword puzzles were useful for learning or reviewing terms and concepts, while 20% did not. Most students (55%)were motivated to work on the puzzles because they thought it might help on the course exams. Only 19% were motivated to attempt the puzzles because of the monetary prize. Conclusions:  Crossword puzzles are a novel way to induce medical students to review subject vocabularies and concepts. Students are motivated to complete these crossword puzzles by their desire to learn and do well on the exams.
CD9	NEUROLOGIC: AN ANATOMICAL APPROACH TO THE NEUROLOGICAL EXAM USING VIDEO AND ENGLISH OR SPANISH AUDIO TRACKS Suzanne S. Stensaas*, Paul D. Larsen, Alejandro Stern, and Paul Burrows, University of Utah, Eccles Health Sciences Library, 10 N. 1900 East, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112 U.S.A. A video resource for the Web combining basic science (anatomy) and clinical diagnostic skills  (neurology) was developed.  The site is designed as a bridge to the clinical sciences while studying basic science as well as a review of basic neuroanatomy for students on clinical rotations.  The emphasis is on learning to examine, in a logical way, so that by the end of the exam the problem can be localized.  Each of the six modules has an anatomy review, followed by video of a normal patient.  These same components are then illustrated with videos of patients with abnormal findings.  There is self-assessment for each module.  Unknown cases are being developed for students to practice skills taught in the program.  The final feature is a resource section.  In addition to material from two U.S. institutions, we have video from the Stern Foundation in Buenos Aires as a proof of concept.  We welcome colleagues willing to submit documented video material for review as potential contributions to this resource.  All material in the program can be downloaded for local use, or incorporation into new educational material, as long as it is for non-profit educational use and credit is given to the source of the contributed material. The video clips (250) are a maximum of 2 minutes.  They are NOT designed for use on a modem but on a fast Ethernet connection.  Individual movies can be incorporated into lectures or examinations.  The program can be used with any browser with the QuickTime plug-in.  Using an interactive sprite feature of QuickTime, the movies appear in a frame that allows the user to turn audio on or off.  There are three audio tracks.  One for the conversation between the doctor and patient, one for expert commentary in English and a similar Spanish commentary track. Text containing a translation of patient or doctor audio or typed-out medical terms can be placed under the video frame as it plays.  This permits the video clips to be adapted to teaching situations in Spanish or English.  This project was supported by the Slice of Life Development Fund at the University of Utah, the Department of Pediatrics and the Office of Education at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska.  Patients and colleagues at these institutions contributed material along with the Stern Foundation in Buenos Aires.
CD10	MOBILE MEDICAL EDUCATION – HOW TECHNOLOGY IS ENHANCING THE WAY STUDENTS LEARN Peter Katsufrakis and Donna Elliott*, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089 USA and Tom Cochran*, ArcStream Solutions, Watertown, MA 02472  U.S.A. Information and processes that have traditionally been distributed and collected through paper-based methods are being developed for handheld devices that can be integrated with web-based tools, providing better communications, increased efficiency, improved academic experience, and contemporaneous monitoring not previously possible.  Students benefit from being able to access resources anytime and school administration benefits by quickly and easily getting feedback on curriculum, instructors, and facilities, so they can rapidly react to educational needs. Mobile technology is especially applicable for medical education.  Medical students have a wealth of information to access, yet they are rarely at a computer when information needs arise.  In addition, Medical Students are often required to collect patient information at the point-of-care for review by faculty and accreditation institutions, and frequently work at multiple institutions.  Mobile technologies solve this problem and enhance learning by enabling students to perform necessary functions and review relevant information at the point of care.  They also allow faculty to better communicate with students and assess the overall quality of students’ education on an ongoing basis.  Data that previously took weeks or months to collect manually is now collected much faster electronically, allowing schools to provide rapid, personalized feedback to the students to ensure an improved education experience.  Computer- and PDA-based information systems permit collection and analysis of comprehensive data documenting students’ patient encounters. This allows medical schools to tailor and modify an individual student’s educational experience, assess the overall educational program’s compliance with stated goals, and provide documentation to accrediting agencies in ways not previously possible. This presentation will discuss the mobile and web-based solution that the Keck School recently implemented with ArcStream Solutions.  The collaborative team developed a web and mobile-based solution through which students and faculty can enter and report on patient encounters, create and fill out evaluations, and access selected course information.  In addition, specific diagnoses that the Keck school administration has identified as important in clinical education are flagged, and a student’s progress achieving these can be shown in a report and used to tailor subsequent educational experiences.  All the information feeds into a central database that the administration can access to better monitor the program, and assists in automating accreditation reporting.	ORAL