Comprehensiveness of distributed medical education systems: a regional population-based perspective.

Background: The core business of medical schools includes clinical (education and service) and academic (research) activities. Our objective was to assess the degree to which these activities exist in a distributed medical education system in Canada.

Methods: A population-based design was utilized.

Learners' Critical Thinking Processes when using Virtual Patient Cases.

Virtual patients (VP) are interactive computer simulations used in health education to increase student exposure to a variety of clinical cases and to develop critical thinking skills. Interdisciplinary student teams developed five VP cases focused on providing education in family planning. The cases pose questions that are complex and ill-defined to promote critical thinking.