TITLE:
Teaching by Teleconference: A Model for Distance Medical Education across Two Continents
AUTHORS:
Adeline Boatin, Joseph Ngonzi, Leslie Bradford, Blair Wylie, Annekathryn Goodman
KEYWORDS:
Distance Learning, Videoconferencing, Global Health, Telehealth, Telemedicine
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology,
Vol.5 No.13,
November
18,
2015
ABSTRACT: Introduction: In Uganda, an estimated 120 obstetrician/gynecologists
serve a population of 30 million people demonstrating the need to train
additional skilled clinician leaders in reproductive health. In 2012, a
partnership was formed with the Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital (MRRH) in
southwest Uganda and the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) in Boston, USA,
in part to increase access to specialist training. This report presents an
update in the development of a teaching conference between the institutions. Methods:
In June 2012, a didactic teleconference between the institutions was
instituted. Various conferencing tools were tried: direct telephone connection,
VentriloTM conferencing system and SkypeTM via personal computer or smart phone.
In Mbarara, Internet was accessed via cellular data. In Boston, Internet was
accessed via hospital network or cellular data. All lectures were HIPAA
compliant. PowerPoint lectures were stored in a collective DropboxTM that could
be accessed and downloaded prior to lecture dates. Results: Over 30 months, 30
lectures were given. Lecturers included faculty and fellows from maternal fetal
medicine, gynecology oncology, urogynecology, family planning, psychiatry and
obstetric anesthesia. A patient case pertinent to the teaching topic framed the
discussion. About 20 participants attended each lecture. Internet connectivity
was the biggest challenge. Ultimately audio Skype via cellular data proved the
most successful modality and became the method of choice. Conclusion: A
successful collaboration in medical education via teleconference is
sustainable, low cost, and beneficial to both resource-rich and resource-poor
institutions. Expertise can be shared bilaterally and internationally by
individuals potentially unable travel.