Testing the knowledge of postgraduate trainees in medicine: a multimedia software package.

1. TASK OF THE PROGRAM. The task of the program is to test the knowledge of applicants at the examination for specialists degrees. The applicants must answer a series of multiple choice test questions, 40% of them are connected to a medical diagnostic image of different modalities e.g., x-ray, 2D gray scale ultrasound, CT, MRI, and endoscopy images. The answer may need simple measurements and finding target areas on the image. The program manages to: test 20 applicants simultaneously in a network, handle a database of questions and images, and document and print out exam results. 2. ORGANIZATIONAL ENVIRONMENT OF THE PROGRAM. The program was developed at the Medical Informatics Department of "Haynal Imre" University of Health Sciences, Budapest (MID-HIETE) according to the needs and intentions of the National Board of Medical Postgraduate Training. The program was sponsored by the OMFB/National Committee of Technical Development, a government agency, and by one of the commercial banks. 3. TECHNICAL ENVIRONMENT OF THE PROGRAM. 4. SCIENTIFIC BASIS. The data bank was developed according to a previous study of medical images in clinical practice. The study describes the information content of different medical images and their role in medical practice. The image data bank originates from the developer's own medical image library and from internationally acknowledged medical textbooks (respecting copyright issues). Knowledge base of questions was drawn from basic international textbooks. 5. SUMMARY. Within a period of two years, the MID-HIETE staff succeeded in developing a modular multimedia software package that tests and screens the knowledge of postgraduate trainees. This screening method is offered as an entrance exam for the specialist degree. Currently, this exam is administered as an oral test; the knowledge of the applicants may therefore not be tested thoroughly.