Michele Fuortes’s scientific contributions

Rationale and Objectives: The primary role of radiology in the preclinical setting is the use of imaging to improve students' understanding of anatomy. Many currently available Web-based anatomy programs include either suboptimal or overwhelming levels of detail for medical students. Our objective was to develop a user-friendly software program that anatomy instructors can completely tailor to match the desired level of detail for their curriculum, meets the unique needs of the first- and the second-year medical students, and is compatible with most Internet browsers and tablets. Materials and Methods: RadStax is a Web-based application developed using free, open-source, ubiquitous software. RadStax was first introduced as an interactive resource for independent study and later incorporated into lectures. First- and second-year medical students were surveyed for quantitative feedback regarding their experience. Results: RadStax was successfully introduced into our medical school curriculum. It allows the creation of learning modules with labeled multiplanar (MPR) image sets, basic anatomic information, and a self-assessment feature. The program received overwhelmingly positive feedback from students. Of 115 students surveyed, 87.0% found it highly effective as a study tool and 85.2% reported high user satisfaction with the program. Conclusions: RadStax is a novel application for instructors wishing to create an atlas of labeled MPR radiologic studies tailored to meet the specific needs their curriculum. Simple and focused, it provides an interactive experience for students similar to the practice of radiologists. This program is a robust anatomy teaching tool that effectively aids in educating the preclinical medical student.

PURPOSE/AIM To present and review the creation and distribution of feature-rich educational content for radiology using a recently introduced publishing tool known as iBooks Author, by Apple, Inc. CONTENT ORGANIZATION iBooks Author is a free application created by Apple, Inc. that allows users to create multi-touch textbooks for the iPad that are rich in multimedia and interactive features. By using iBooks Author, instructors have the opportunity to produce next-generation educational materials for today's Radiology residents and students, who gravitate toward the "mobile learning" permitted by tablet and smartphone use. This exhibit will 1) provide a brief introduction to the unique role of iBooks Author in the context of other publication options, 2) review the tools needed to create educational content and the various features that can be included using this platform, which range from basic text to pictures, video, interactive 3D models, custom animations and quizzes, 3) Describe how this content can be distributed to and accessed by students, 4) summarize how this content may supplement and enrich a more traditional medical student and resident curriculum. SUMMARY After attending this exhibit, viewers will better understand the process and implications of using iBooks Author to create and distribute one-of-a-kind content for Radiology education on the iPad.

PURPOSE/AIM For most medical students, their first exposure to Radiology occurs in Gross Anatomy. The primary goal in this setting is to use imaging to teach anatomy and normal studies with labels help achieve this goal. While multiple web-based anatomy programs exist, the level of detail is often beyond the appropriate scope for a medical student. CONTENT ORGANIZATION RadStax is a web-based application developed as an interactive resource for independent study. It allows creation of new learning modules to provide users with labeled multiplanar image sets, basic anatomical information, and a self-assessment feature. RadStax was offered to second-year students during their neuroradiology course. Student surveys support its efficacy with 91% of respondents wishing they had access to this tool during prior coursework. While many confounders could not be controlled for, exam scores showed a statistically significant increase from the previous year. SUMMARY RadStax is a robust interactive radiology teaching tool that provides faculty a feasible way to create an atlas of labeled studies that can be tailored to meet the specific needs of their school’s curriculum. The introduction of RadStax into the second-year curriculum was met with positive subjective and objective feedback. RadStax has potential as a valuable tool for medical student education.