The iPad helped medical students score 23% higher at exams

[RaduTyrsina]

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In an effort to integrate innovation and the latest technologies into the educational processes at Universities, Apple launched back in 2010 the iMedEd initiative at the University of California in Irvine.

Now, a report assessing the activity of the program recognizes its beneficial outcomes facilitated by the use of “innovative, digital-based educational platform that conforms to the 21st century learning styles and needs of students throughout the worldâ€, within campus grounds. The report also found that students enrolled in the program scored 23% higher on their national exams than previous generations of students “despite having similar incoming GPAs and MCAT scoresâ€.

In the UC Irvine campus, you don’t see students walking around carrying heavy texts books and uncomfortable backpacks. Instead, after enrollment, medical students receive an iPad on which digital copies of all school material and textbooks are uploaded. More than that, they have access via podcasts to the lectures provided, so in case they miss anything, they have the opportunity to catch up. This is particularly helpful, especially for med students, who have a tremendous amount of work ahead of them, and skipping just one class or one lab might prove disastrous. Students also have access to virtual medical equipment which perfectly mimic real tools used in healthcare, like the digital stethoscopes.

Source: AppleInsider

 

[tlbaker]

Yes, it's more fun but do they he access to the Internet while taking the exam?

Sent from my WiFi Black 64GB iPad with Retina Display in NYC using iPF

 

[skimonkey]

So much of the learning is clinical/hands on practice in the Lab. A lot of the exams are not only in written/computer driven, but is also tested with practical exams of actually performing the technique/treatment to show competency.

 

[s2mikey]

Yes, it's more fun but do they he access to the Internet while taking the exam?

Sent from my WiFi Black 64GB iPad with Retina Display in NYC using iPF

Yeah, I fail to see how the iPad specifically made the test scores better. But, whatever.

 

[zstairlessone]

Yeah, I fail to see how the iPad specifically made the test scores better. But, whatever.

Probably for the ability to replay the lectures. If I had that opportunity in school I would have had a much higher GPA no question

 

[giradman]

In an effort to integrate innovation and the latest technologies into the educational processes at Universities, Apple launched back in 2010 the iMedEd initiative at the University of California in Irvine.

Now, a report assessing the activity of the program recognizes its beneficial outcomes facilitated by the use of “innovative, digital-based educational platform that conforms to the 21st century learning styles and needs of students throughout the worldâ€, within campus grounds. The report also found that students enrolled in the program scored 23% higher on their national exams than previous generations of students “despite having similar incoming GPAs and MCAT scoresâ€.

Hi Radu - just curious 'why' you are making this post, i.e. are you a medical student?

I'm a retired academic radiologist (Wake Forest University Medical Ctr) - went to the University of Michigan Medical School (1967-71) - those textbooks were large & cumbersome, and for lectures one either took their own notes and/or there was a student service in which 'summary' notes of lectures could be purchased.

Now, having owned an iPad for nearly 2 years and having put a number of books on the device, I can certainly see the advantages of having all of that information in one convenient place, although after reading the short description on the link, I'm not sure of the exact details?

 

[emm]

My son is in is in this classroom, lucky to be part of this innovative and forward-looking experiment to train future doctors. Attendance at all classes is mandatory--they check in on their iPads at the beginning of each class. They take notes on their iPads or laptops right on the power point slides of the lectures as the professors teach. The digital text books have 3-D images, vids, and lots of augmented material. When studying, my son has the textbook open on his laptop and the lecture slides open on the iPad or vice-versa. Check out iTunes U and you can watch some of the lectures from UCI med school yourselves. In the clinical classes, as the article mentions, they can see the results of the ultrasound they do right at the patient's bedside on their iPads!

No, they don't have internet access during their weekly, grueling exams. Their whole life is studying, and the iPad makes this more efficient but not necessarily easier. Their hard work, the professors' pedagogical innovation, and the donors' generosity mean that we'll have extremely competent professionals to keep us healthy down the road. UCI is pointing the way to the future with this program.

 

[skimonkey]

My son is in is in this classroom, lucky to be part of this innovative and forward-looking experiment to train future doctors. Attendance at all classes is mandatory--they check in on their iPads at the beginning of each class. They take notes on their iPads or laptops right on the power point slides of the lectures as the professors teach. The digital text books have 3-D images, vids, and lots of augmented material. When studying, my son has the textbook open on his laptop and the lecture slides open on the iPad or vice-versa. Check out iTunes U and you can watch some of the lectures from UCI med school yourselves. In the clinical classes, as the article mentions, they can see the results of the ultrasound they do right at the patient's bedside on their iPads!

No, they don't have internet access during their weekly, grueling exams. Their whole life is studying, and the iPad makes this more efficient but not necessarily easier. Their hard work, the professors' pedagogical innovation, and the donors' generosity mean that we'll have extremely competent professionals to keep us healthy down the road. UCI is pointing the way to the future with this program.

That's great to hear, emm.

I wish ipads were invented when I was in school. Sure would have lightened the load a little to have an ipad along with some of the heavy textbooks we had to stuff in our backpacks.

Good luck to your son. Our Health System where I work will also be assigning ipad minis to our Medical students for the next year enrollment. Its an exciting to time to see how these wonderful devices can make life easier for all of us.

 

[franjino]

Yes, students uses iPad for learning, researching and essay tipping...