Implementing Virtual Microscopy Improves Outcomes in a Hematology Morphology Course

Mauri S Brueggeman; Cheryl Swinehart; Mary Jane Yue; Janice M Conway-Klaassen; Stephen M Wiesner

doi:10.29074/ascls.25.3.149

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Mauri S Brueggeman, MEd, CLS(NCA)
1. Center for Allied Health Programs, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
Cheryl Swinehart, MS, CLS(NCA)
1. Center for Allied Health Programs, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
Mary Jane Yue, MS, MT(ASCP)
1. Center for Allied Health Programs, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
Janice M Conway-Klaassen, PhD, MT(ASCP)SM
1. Center for Allied Health Programs, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
Stephen M Wiesner, PhD, MT(ASCP)⇑
1. Center for Allied Health Programs, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN

Address for Correspondence: Stephen M Wiesner, PhD, MT(ASCP), Center for Allied Health Programs, University of Minnesota, MMC 711, 420 Delaware St. SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455, 612-625-6465, wiesn003{at}umn.edu

Abstract

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.

ABBREVIATIONS:

TM - traditional microscopy, VM - virtual microscopy, DE - distance education, CLS - clinical laboratory sciences, CI - classroom instruction, F2F - face to face, GPA - grade point average, RBC - red blood cell, WBC, white blood cell