Document Type : Research articles

Authors

• Shirin Ayani ¹
• Khadijeh Moulaei ²
• Ashraf Alimadadi ³
• Mahmoud Bakhtiari ⁴
• Rafat Bayat ⁵
• Faezeh Sadeghi ⁶
• Samaneh Nematolahi ⁷
• Mohammad Shahrabadi ⁷

¹ PhD in Medical Informatics, Department of Computer Science, Faran (Mehr Danesh) Non-governmental Institute of Virtual Higher Education, Tehran, Iran

² MSc Student of Medical Informatics, Medical Informatics Group, School of Management and Medical Information, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

³ MD of Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, Endocrinology Branch, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Science, Tehran, Iran

⁴ Non-communicables Diseases Research Center, Alborz University of Medical Sciences, Karaj, Iran

⁵ PhD in Sociology, Department of Management, Faran (Mehr Danesh) Non-governmental Institute of Virtual Higher Education, Tehran, Iran

⁶ MA of English Language and Literature, Department of English Language, Faran (Mehr Danesh) Non-governmental Institute of Virtual Higher Education, Tehran, Iran

⁷ MSc of Information Technology, Faran (Mehr Danesh) Non-governmental Institute of Virtual Higher Education, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

Background: E-learning is a recent approach in education, commonly appreciated for teaching students in most scientific fields, particularly in the university. However, in medical education, this approach has difficulties that reduce its performance. Through the survey of the present models defining E-learning components, in respect to the patient simulation systems playing an important role in medical education, some deficiencies of these models have been revealed. Objectives: In order to provide appropriate tools and techniques for implementing patient simulation within the learning man- agement system, this research aimed at identifying the deficiencies of E-learning models and proposing a new model. Methods: In this review article, published accredited articles or books were initially searched in order to obtain E-learning compo- nents and different types of patient simulation systems. Through a study of E-learning components in selected models, the short- comings in implementing various kinds of patient simulation systems were determined and the “Parsian” model was subsequently introduced. Results: According to the results of the conducted research, it was found that the group of component tools in E-learning models, which could be classified in 3 different groups, was not adequate for implementing patient simulation. In the “Parsian” model, necessary tools and techniques were introduced in 3 different groups of software, methods, and techniques and medical equipment.
All these groups introduced in the “Parsian” model were applicable. Conclusions: In the school of medicine, professors need patient simulation systems to provide students with E-learning. However, at the moment, there is not such patient simulation system in the existing LMS s all over the world. The LMSs are usually designed to teach courses that are mostly theoretical (rather than practical). Implementation of an LMS, exclusively applicable with high competence for teaching in all the realms of medical sciences, is provided by the means of “Parsian” tools and techniques.

Keywords

• E-learning
• Patient Simulation
• Medical E-learning
• Virtual Patient