G.W. Mirowski, DMD, MD1,2, Paul Hagan3, A.F. Hood, MD1. Changes in higher education are taking place on multiple fronts.
Academic exercise is gained through numerous methods, using a limited set of pedagogical tools.
Observing a mentor or individuals with more advanced training is an essential technique by which medicine has been taught and has been practiced. That is essentially why internships and residencies were developed. Today, students are encouraged to learn at their own pace. The emerging and more omnipresent use of multimedia personal computers, CD-ROM and faster modems as well as access to the Internet, permits and demands of educators to take advantage of these technologies. However, these techniques are not meant to substitute hands-on experience which is necessary in order to develop clinical skills.