Purpose: To compare slit-lamp microscopy teaching outcomes with digital camera real-time display and conventional teaching tube in undergraduate education of clinical ophthalmology.
Methods: Thirty-seven Year 4 medical students were assigned to two groups for slit lamp microscopy teaching with digital camera real-time display (n = 18) and teaching tube (n = 19). The outcome measures included a 5-item questionnaire on their experience and the quality of slit lamp photos taken by the students.
Results: The overall satisfaction score was significantly higher in the group of digital camera real-time display compared with the group of teaching tube (4.5 ± 0.5 vs. 4.2 ± 0.7, P = .013). The former group also achieved higher quality score of the slit-lamp photography (4.1 ± 0.3 vs. 3.6 ± 0.5, P = .002).
Conclusions: The digital camera real-time display attachment is more effective in undergraduate ophthalmic education over conventional slit-lamp teaching tube. It is also more favored by students and is thus highly recommended for clinical ophthalmology education.
Keywords: Undergraduate education; digital camera real-time display; learning outcomes; ophthalmology; slit-lamp microscope.