Modern Technology in Dermatopathology Education

Introduction

Advancements in technology are inevitably changing the landscape of medical education. Textbooks and paper exams are being replaced by digital content across multiple educational realms. Undergraduate medical education, post-graduate residency and fellowship training, and experienced physicians are all facing this shift towards electronic material for teaching and clinical work. The advent of the electronic medical record, online academic resources, and virtual microscopy are just a few examples of recently implemented technological milestones. Virtual microscopy has gained popularity as a method of digitalizing glass microscope slides for high-resolution interactive viewing. Herein, we will focus on modern technology and its application to education in dermatopathology (DP), in addition to the undergraduate teaching of histopathology. Within these fields, the transition from glass slide microscopy (GSM) to virtual microscopy (VM) has been successfully incorporated into all levels of education through online databases, atlases, and digital slide sets. Digital expansion has also created opportunities in mobile microscopy and other computer-based applications for instruction and telepathology services. Image sharing through the internet and networking sites has not only been shown to be beneficial for educational purposes, but also for collaborative research and widespread dissemination of information. New technologic advances that efficiently and easily convert stained tissue on glass slides to digital images have made these educational innovations possible.

Education using digital microscopy is steadily being incorporated into the specialty of DP. Understanding histopathology is critical for both clinicians and pathologists in the diagnosis and management of numerous dermatologic disease processes. Relevant training is essential for dermatology, pathology, and DP fellows. The importance of DP to the education of a dermatologist is exemplified by the fact that 19% of the American Board of Dermatology (ABD) certifying exam in 2017 was dedicated to DP (American Board of Dermatology, 2017). As a result, dermatology residencies commit a great deal of educational time to DP. To highlight the importance of histopathological correlation for dermatology-trained clinicians, a previous study estimated that 25% of the residency curriculum is reserved for DP teaching; however, a more recent study found that number to be closer to 30% (Hinshaw, Hsu, Lee, & Stratman, 2009). In this latter study, only 19.2% of the programs surveyed reported utilizing computer-based learning, with preferential use of GSM for educational purposes (Hinshaw et al., 2009). Although DP instruction has evolved over the years as a result of technological progress, opportunity for further growth exists. Virtual technology in this field is presently underutilized, despite the vast potential for its future implementation and teaching roles.