Comparison of Blended Learning With Traditional Dermatology Learning for Medical Students: Prospective Evaluation Study.

BACKGROUND: Novel internet-based applications and associated technologies have influenced all aspects of society, ranging from commerce and business to entertainment and health care, and education is no exception. In this context, this study was designed to evaluate the impact of a dermatology e-learning program on the academic performance of medical students in dermatology. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to develop a dermatology blended-learning course for undergraduate medical students, evaluate the knowledge gained by students exposed to this course, and compare the results to those of traditional teaching methods. METHODS: In this prospective study, we evaluated the performance of fourth-semester medical students at the Federal University of Bahia, Brazil. Students who had been in their second year of the medical course in 2019 were considered the control group, while students in their second year in 2020 were considered the blended or hybrid group. The first group attended traditional classes, using printed material (books and handouts), while the second group used our web-based course and e-book as a supplement in a hybrid web-plus-traditional fashion. Neither participants nor evaluators were blinded. The students in both groups were subjected to the same pre- and postcourse face-to-face, multiple-choice, paper-based evaluations, and we compared their performances. The content of the classes was the same for both groups. All didactic activities were developed by a team of certified dermatologists and professors from the university. RESULTS: A total of 129 students were selected and divided into 2 groups: the control group (n=57) and the hybrid group (n=72). The precourse tests did not indicate any difference between the control group (mean score 2.74, SD 1.25) and the hybrid group (mean score 3.2, SD 1.22 SD; P>.05). The hybrid group had better final-term grades (mean 8.18, SD 1.26) than the traditional group (mean 7.11, SD 1.04). This difference was statistically significant (P<.05). CONCLUSIONS: This study explores pedagogical possibilities in the field of dermatology teaching for medical school students. The results suggest that the performance of undergraduate students who attended the course with additional e-learning material was superior when compared to the performance of those who participated in the traditional course alone.

Cutaneous larva migrans: a bad souvenir from the vacation.

Cutaneous larva migrans (CLM) is a common endemic disease in tropical and subtropical countries. This condition is caused by skin-penetrating larvae of nematodes, mainly of the hookworm Ancylostoma braziliense and other nematodes of the family Ancylostomidae. We report three cases of CLM acquired during vacations in different regions of Brazil.

E-learning program for medical students in dermatology.

INTRODUCTION: Dermatological disorders are common in medical practice. In medical school, however, the time devoted to teaching dermatology is usually very limited. Therefore, online educational systems have increasingly been used in medical education settings to enhance exposure to dermatology. OBJECTIVE: The present study was designed to develop a e-learning program for medical students in dermatology and evaluate the impact of this program on learning. METHODS: This prospective study included second year medical students at the University of Technology and Science, Salvador, Brazil. All students attended discussion seminars and practical activities, and half of the students had adjunct online seminars (blended learning). Tests were given to all students before and after the courses, and test scores were evaluated. RESULTS: Students who participated in online discussions associated with face-to-face activities (blended learning) had significantly higher posttest scores (9.0 ± 0.8) than those who only participated in classes (7.75±1.8, p <0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that an associated online course might improve the learning of medical students in dermatology.

E-learning program for medical students in dermatology

INTRODUCTION: Dermatological disorders are common in medical practice. In medical school, however, the time devoted to teaching dermatology is usually very limited. Therefore, online educational systems have increasingly been used in medical education settings to enhance exposure to dermatology. OBJECTIVE: The present study was designed to develop a e-learning program for medical students in dermatology and evaluate the impact of this program on learning. METHODS: This prospective study included second year medical students at the University of Technology and Science, Salvador, Brazil. All students attended discussion seminars and practical activities, and half of the students had adjunct online seminars (blended learning). Tests were given to all students before and after the courses, and test scores were evaluated. RESULTS: Students who participated in online discussions associated with face-to-face activities (blended learning) had significantly higher posttest scores (9.0 + 0.8) than those who only participated in classes (7.75+1.8, p <0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that an associated online course might improve the learning of medical students in dermatology.

Teledermatologia: correlação diagnóstica em serviço primário de saúde / Teledermatology: diagnostic correlation in a primary care service

FUNDAMENTOS: O termo telemedicina faz referência ao uso de tecnologias de comunicação para a transmissão a distância de informações relacionadas à saúde. Esse recurso é utilizado em várias especialidades médicas, principalmente naquelas em que a interpretação de imagens representa uma etapa fundamental na formulação diagnóstica. OBJETIVO: Avaliar a concordância entre o diagnóstico presencial e o diagnóstico a distância de lesões cutâneas, utilizando a teledermatologia, em pacientes atendidos em uma unidade básica de saúde. MÉTODOS: Foi realizado um estudo prospectivo envolvendo pacientes atendidos no serviço de dermatologia da clínica FTC em Salvador - BA. Participaram do estudo um dermatologista responsável pela consulta presencial e dois dermatologistas responsáveis pela consulta a distância. Os diagnósticos obtidos através da teleconsulta foram avaliados quanto à concordância e comparados com os diagnósticos da consulta presencial. RESULTADOS: Foram incluídos neste estudo 60 pacientes. Observou-se um grau de concordância total variando de 86,6 por cento a 91,6 por cento com índice Kappa de 0,62. CONCLUSÃO: A teledermatologia é uma forma de assistência com um grande potencial de uso na dermatologia, podendo representar uma ferramenta útil principalmente em casos clínicos de baixa complexidade, oriundos de unidades básicas de saúde.

BACKGROUND: Telemedicine can be defined as the use of telecommunication technologies for the transmission of health data. It has been described in different medical specialties, especially those in which interpretation of images represents a fundamental key in formulating diagnosis. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the role of teledermatology in primary care system. METHODS: A prospective analysis included 60 patients seen in a primary care unit. All patients were seen by a dermatologist as regular outpatient dermatology consultation. A medical student obtained digital images and a brief clinical history of all patients. Using a Telemedicine system these data were reviewed by two dermatologists for distance diagnosis. Agreement between the diagnoses was assessed. RESULTS: Good agreement, ranging from 86.6 percent to 91.6 percent, was achieved between direct observation and teleconsultation. Good agreement was also achieved between two telemedicine diagnosis (Kappa = 0.62). CONCLUSION: Teledermatology is a form of care with great potential for use in dermatology, and could represent a useful tool in cases of low complexity from primary health units.

[Generalized eruptive syringoma: case report]. / Siringoma eruptivo disseminado: Relato de caso.

Syringomas are benign adnexal tumors derived from the intraepidermal portion of eccrine sweat ducts. Clinically, they usually appear as small yellow or skin-colored papules ranging from 1-3 mm in diameter on the lower eyelids. The condition of eruptive syringomas is a clinically distinct, uncommon variant of syringomas. This entity was first recognized by Darier and Jacquet in 1887. Since the initial description, less than 100 cases have been reported to date. Although eruptive syringomas can develop on various sites of the body, instances of widespread involvement, known as generalized eruptive syringoma, are rare. In this paper, we present a case of generalized eruptive syringoma on a 26-year-woman. She exhibited multiple, eruptive asymptomatic papules, symmetrically distributed on the face, scalp, upper and lower extremities, chest, and abdomen.

[Teledermatology: diagnostic correlation in a primary care service]. / Teledermatologia: correlação diagnóstica em serviço primário de saúde.

BACKGROUND: Telemedicine can be defined as the use of telecommunication technologies for the transmission of health data. It has been described in different medical specialties, especially those in which interpretation of images represents a fundamental key in formulating diagnosis. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the role of teledermatology in primary care system. METHODS: A prospective analysis included 60 patients seen in a primary care unit. All patients were seen by a dermatologist as regular outpatient dermatology consultation. A medical student obtained digital images and a brief clinical history of all patients. Using a Telemedicine system these data were reviewed by two dermatologists for distance diagnosis. Agreement between the diagnoses was assessed. RESULTS: Good agreement, ranging from 86.6% to 91.6%, was achieved between direct observation and teleconsultation. Good agreement was also achieved between two telemedicine diagnosis (Kappa = 0.62). CONCLUSION: Teledermatology is a form of care with great potential for use in dermatology, and could represent a useful tool in cases of low complexity from primary health units.

Epidermodisplasia verruciforme: tratamento combinado com acitretina e interferon alfa-2a / Epidermodysplasia verruciformis: combined treatment with acitretin and interferon alpha-2a

Comunica-se o resultado do tratamento com acitretina e interferon alfa-2a em doente de 16 anos de idade com epidermodisplasia verruciforme. O diagnóstico foi realizado mediante os achados clínico-histopatológicos e pesquisa in situ positiva para papiloma vírus humano. O quadro clínico era extenso e resistente a outros tratamentos, com risco de desenvolvimento de neoplasias. Houve melhora clínica 30 dias após o início do tratamento, mantida durante os 16 meses de seguimento.

We report the result of a treatment with acitretin and alpha-2a interferon in a 16-year-old boy with epidermodysplasia verruciformis. Diagnosis was based on clinical features, histopathological examination and positivity for in situ HPV. The affection was extensive and resistant to other treatment modalities, with a high risk of development of neoplasias. Treatment with oral acitretin associated with subcutaneous recombinant interferon alpha-2a three times per week induced improvement, which was sustained for 16 months of follow-up.

[Palpebral cryptococcosis: case report]. / Criptococose palpebral: relato de caso.

This paper is about a patient with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome empirically treated for miliary tuberculosis. During the clinical evolution the patient presented lesions compromising the right eyelid and tarsal conjunctiva. The initial diagnostic hypothesis was ocular tuberculosis with conjunctival and eyelid involvement. The biopsy of the conjunctival lesion identified an encapsulated yeast-like fungus: Criptococcus neoformans. After starting treatment with B anfotericin, the cutaneus lesions cleared.

Criptococose palpebral: relato de caso / Palpebral cryptococcosis: case report

Relata-se o caso de uma paciente portadora de síndrome da imunodeficiência adquirida empiricamente tratada com esquema tríplice para tuberculose miliar. Durante a evolução clínica a paciente cursou com lesões comprometendo a pálpebra e conjuntiva tarsal à direita. A hipótese diagnóstica inicial foi de tuberculose ocular com comprometimento conjuntival e palpebral. A biópsia da lesão conjuntival mostrou presença do Criptococcus neoformans. Após o início do tratamento específico com anfotericina B, a paciente apresentou melhora das lesões cutâneas.

Tinea faciei in an infant caused by Microsporum gypseum simulating a dry impetigo.

We report a 14-month-old White boy who was referred to our dermatology unit for evaluation of a skin eruption on his nose. The initial examination led us to the clinical diagnosis of impetigo. The mycologic studies found an uncommon dermatophyte agent, Microsporum gypseum. The main differential diagnosis of tinea faciei is discussed.