Making the neurology clerkship more effective: can e-Textbook facilitate learning?

Objective: In 1998, the 4-week neurology elective clerkship was converted into a 2-week required neurology rotation at the University of Illinois at Chicago. We hypothesized that the interactive e-Textbook, a computer-assisted learning tool, could successfully replace a paper-based syllabus and a traditional neurology textbook during a 2-week rotation, while incorporating department teaching conferences to replace the medical student lecture series.

Methods: We created an e-Textbook and made it available simultaneously in a CD-ROM format and on a password-protected website. The online quiz and course assessment were administered by the Blackboard Web Server.

Results: After implementation of the e-Textbook over 6 years, the feedback shows high student satisfaction, and student evaluations of the neurology clerkship have risen. Creation of an e-Textbook for the neurology clerkship made our faculty more productive while increasing student satisfaction and facilitating learning efficacy.

Discussion: The results show that the e-Textbook is an appropriate alternative to facilitate learning of basic and clinical neurology during a 2-week rotation. The students demonstrated successful learning in a computerized environment.