Affiliations: National Library of Medicine, Bethesda, MA, USA | National Telehealth Center, University of the Philippines Manila, Manila, Philippines
Note: [] Corresponding author: Paul Fontelo, MD, MPH, National Library of Medicine 8600, Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD 20894, USA. Tel.: +1 301 435 3265; Fax: +1 301 402 4080; E-mail: fontelo@nlm.nih.gov
Abstract: Background: Medical education in pathology and histology in low-resource countries face many obstacles because of equipment cost and telecommunication deficiencies. Digital Pathology may provide solutions. We report student experience to virtual slides on a local network and a remote image server. Methods: Using an iPad tablet device, fifty 3rd and 4th year medical students viewed digital pathology slides from a Web server at the National Library of Medicine and a mirror server on the local network. Results: The quality of images from both servers was found to be satisfactory, but the local server was deemed faster and preferred by the participants in this study (p < 0.005). Conclusions: Virtual slides on a local network server may provide solutions to equipment and technical obstacles and could enhance student learning in developing countries.
Keywords: Digital pathology, virtual slide, virtual microscope, whole slide imaging, medical education, low-resource countries
