Editor's note:This is an unedited version of the symposium's handout as posted on the CGEA's Web site and distributed in early April on Med-Ed Listserv. The handout's author, Dr. Reznich, also served as moderator of the symposium. It is reproduced here with permission for the convenience of medical educators, informaticians, academicians, medical students and residents. Practicing physicians and others interested in the potential of medical educational technology or in innovative, quality medical Web resources should enjoy these links as well. And this covers only the midwest US; imagine what such a list containing all regions of the US and throughout the world would encompass! (If anyone knows of such an online reference, please email me.)   ---M.L.
 

In recent years, the World Wide Web ("WWW" or "the Web") has become practically synonymous with the Internet. With its facility for accommodating text, sound, pictures and video clips, and the ability to link easily from one page or site to another, the web has become an environment of choice for delivering instruction on-line. However, true web-based instruction (i.e., web-based CAI) can be very time-consuming to develop, so many course faculty may not pursue this option at this time. Furthermore, the great bulk of instruction in medical schools is still classroom-(small or large) and clinic/hospital-based. While it takes a relatively dedicated techie to develop full-blown web-based instruction, with current tools such as Adobe PageMill almost anyone comfortable with a computer can put together a useful course webpage. Now there is a proliferation of web-pages used in support of formal courses and clerkships.

Obvious features of such web pages might include: reading lists and syllabi; lecture, lab, and exam schedules; course attendance, grading and other policies; links to supplementary materials; instructor biosketches. Less obvious features may include advance organizers or visual models of the curricular content, and lecture outlines. None of these would seem to be particularly onerous to develop.

In this symposium, several developers of web pages used in support of existing courses will briefly demonstrate their sites. This session is intended a) to encourage those considering taking the plunge to do so, and b) to give experienced webpage developers/users new ideas to try out.

Presenters
The presenters and their web sites are:

1. John McNulty
   Loyola University
   Lumen: Medical School Curriculum
    
   
2. James Fishback
   University of Kansas
   Sophomore Pathology home page
    
   
3. Walter Edinger
   Medical College of Ohio
   Medical Humanities
    
   
4. Michael Peterson
   University of Iowa
   Foundations of Clinical Practice II
    
   
5. David Penney
   Wayne State University
   Virtual Classroom

 
Web Sites
Other Course-Related Web Sites:

1. Neuroscience and Behavior course web site at Oregon Health Sciences University.
    
   
2. A Physicians Guide to Prevention and Treatment of Substance Use Disorders. A site in support of a course developed by Terry A. Hagan, College of Osteopathic Medicine, Michigan State University.
    
   
3. A University of Florida jump-off point for a number of 1st-year courses.
    
   
4. Michael Lieberman's (University of Cincinnati) biochemistry course web site. Very professional looking.
    
   
5. A web site for a 3rd-year pediatrics clerkship at the University of Michigan Medical School.
    
   
6. Medical Microbiology: Neal Chamberlain's look at the Microbial World at Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine.
    
   
7. The THCME Medical Biochemistry Page by Michael King, Terre Haute Center for Medical Education. I'm not sure if this is tied to a specific course, but it looks very well produced.
    
   
8. Indiana University's informatics clerkship web site.
    
   
9. Marshal Shlafer's site a the University of Michigan. An interesting Pharmacology site designed for several courses at once.
    
   
10. The Family Medicine Clerkship Online Manual of The Department of Family Medicine at Allegheny University of the Health Sciences (AUHS). Use the index in the left-hand frame to navigate to different sections.
     
    
11. Second-year Introduction to Clinical Practice course web site. A. F. Muhleman, MD, Course Director and Gail Heimburger, Course Coordinator, University of Cincinnati School of Medicine.
     
    

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