Virtual Microscopy Versus Optical Microscopy

Muhammad Aamir Latif

Status: Completed

Conditions: Learning Problem

Treatments: Other: Optical Microscopy; Other: Virtual Microscopy

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT07302633

DR-SADAF-QAMC

Details and patient eligibility

About

The literature reveals ongoing debate regarding the relative effectiveness of Virtual Microscopy (VM) versus Optical Microscopy (OM) in achieving specific learning outcomes (SLOs). There remains a paucity of comprehensive, comparative research evaluating these methodologies against standardized learning outcomes in the medical undergraduate population. This instigated a comparison of VM and OM as teaching methodologies for pathology in medical education, specifically focusing on their effectiveness in achieving predetermined learning outcomes.

Full description

It is now essential to thoroughly evaluate the pedagogical effects of these changing modalities due to the growing trend towards digital learning environments, which has been brought to light by recent global challenges to traditional classroom teaching. By methodically contrasting virtual and optical microscopy for teaching pathology to undergraduate medical students, this work can close this gap. It is anticipated that understanding the superior modality-more especially, how well it achieves predefined learning outcomes-will improve the optimization of pathology instruction in modern medical education and guide evidence-based curriculum selections.

Enrollment: 350 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 20 to 24 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Students of either gender
• Aged 20-24 years
• Studying in fourth-year MBBS
• Willing to participate

Exclusion criteria

• Students, absent during the interventions or assessments
• Declined or withdrew consent at any stage

Trial design

Primary purpose: Other

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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350 participants in 2 patient groups

Group I

Experimental group

Description:

Students were exposed to optical microscopy (OM); OM is the conventional method of using physical microscopes to examine microscope slides.

Treatment:

Other: Optical Microscopy

Group II

Experimental group

Description:

Students were exposed to virtual microscopy (VM); VM is a digital technology that allows students to view and analyze microscope slides through digital platforms.

Treatment:

Other: Virtual Microscopy