Whole Slide Imaging In Medical and Dental Education Kumar Neeta*,1, Chandra Mithilesh** *Department of General Pathology, Faculty of Dentistry, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi 110025, India **Consultant Histopathologist & Chairperson, Digiscan, Noida, India 1Corresponding Author E-Mail: kumar_neeta@hotmail.com
Online published on 27 March, 2014. Abstract The new technology is changing the way in which medical and dental education is imparted globally. The microscopic morphology is being taught with the help of digital whole slide images (WSI). It offers many advantages over glass slides and static digital imaging. The tremendous potential of WSI lies not only in learning microscopic features in the real and virtual classroom but also for continuing education, self evaluation and practical examination in unbiased manner. The main barriers to the widespread adoption of WSI technology are related to the heavy cost involved. Collaboration with a reference laboratory having WSI system via public private partnership can provide a solution. Currently the medical and dental education in India is expanding rapidly and enormously. However there is acute shortage of teaching faculty in the face of ever increasing numbers of students and inadequate infrastructure thus affecting the quality of education. WSI will fill in this gap and bring uniformity in education in different institutions. In coming years e-education is going to be the main mode of instruction in medical and dental institutions. It is important that teachers in anatomy and pathology get use to the WSI technology, appreciate its tremendous potential and not only identify its limitations but actively guide its evolution, standardization and implementation and help in improving the quality of medical and dental education. Top Keywords Whole slide images, Microscopy, Histology, Pathology, Virtual slide box, e-education. Top |