A new model for teaching Opthalmoscopy to medical students

Tiago Motta Fonseca,Guilherme Mello Neiva Nunes,José Matheus Guerra De Alencar Bastos,Paulo Henrique Lopes De Souza,Vitor Cortizo

doi:10.15694/mep.2017.000197

Abstract

This article was migrated. The article was not marked as recommended. Background:Although its relevance, the direct ophthalmoscopy may be underused in the daily clinical exam by medical students. Current findings reinforce the need for new approaches in the teaching process of this exam. Objective: Evaluate the applicability of an eye simulator model for teaching direct ophthalmoscopy to medical students. Methods: This study was designed for fourth-year medical students, 20 in total, randomized into two groups: one with ophthalmoscopic training session on human volunteers and another one with a simulator model training session. We used a plastic canister with an aperture of 7mm to simulate a dilated pupil. A normal fundus photograph was affixed on the opposite side of the aperture. The participants filled in a pre-test to assess previous knowledge in ophthalmology. After, both groups performed ophthalmoscopy on human volunteers and filled in post-tests. Results: The mean objective score was higher in the simulator group (82%) than in the group with human volunteer training (45%) (p = 0.01). There was no statistically significant difference between the degree of ease and frustration in performing ophthalmoscopy between the groups, neither between positive and negative feelings scores. Conclusion: The simulator model proved to be effective in teaching direct ophthalmoscopy to medical students.

Highlights

The direct ophthalmoscopy is a readily available tool for evaluation of the optic disc and retina, which is useful for diagnosing conditions that threaten vision, such as diabetic retinopathy, and life as papilledema in patients with intracranial hypertension (Schultz & Hodkings,2014)
This study aims to evaluate the applicability of a model of fundus simulator, built by the authors, in the teaching of direct ophthalmoscopy to medical school students
Ten participants joined the group with ophthalmoscopy training in human volunteers and ten formed the group with simulator training

Summary

Introduction

The direct ophthalmoscopy is a readily available tool for evaluation of the optic disc and retina, which is useful for diagnosing conditions that threaten vision, such as diabetic retinopathy, and life as papilledema in patients with intracranial hypertension (Schultz & Hodkings,2014). It is widely accepted that the ophthalmoscopy is an important clinical skill that should be dominated by medical students (Bradley,1999). A literature review listed the objectives to be achieved by undergraduate students in the training of direct ophthalmoscopy: ability to identify the red reflex and the optical disc; recognize signs of clinical emergencies in patients, mannequins or fundus photographs; and know about other retinopathies, but without necessarily identifying them (Benbassat, Polak & Javitt,2011). The direct ophthalmoscopy may be underused in the daily clinical exam by medical students. Current findings reinforce the need for new approaches in the teaching process of this exam

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion