Information technologies in education of medical students at the university of sarajevo.

INTRODUCTION: Information and communication technology have brought about many changes in medical education and practice, especially in the field of diagnostics. During the academic year 2013/2014, at Faculty of Medicine, University of Sarajevo, students in the final year of the study were subjected to examination which aim was to determine how medical students in Bosnia and Herzegovina subjectively assessing their skills for using computers, have gained insight into the nature of Information Technology's (IT) education and possessive knowledge.
MATERIAL AND METHODS: The survey was conducted voluntary by anonymous questionnaire consisting of 27 questions, divided into five categories, which are collecting facts about student's: sex, age, year of entry, computer skills, possessing the same, the use of the Internet, the method of obtaining currently knowledge and recommendations of students in order to improve their IT training. RESULTS OF THE STUDY: According to the given parameters, indicate an obvious difference in the level of knowledge, use and practical application of Information Technology's knowledge among students of the Bologna process to the students educated under the old system in favor of the first ones. Based on a comparison of similar studies conducted in Croatia, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Denmark, it was observed that the level of knowledge of students of the Medical Faculty in Sarajevo was of equal height or greater than in these countries.

1. INTRODUCTION

The twentieth century was a revolutionary period in the field of computer science. Today, in the 21st century information technology and computers represent an essential part of every sphere of human life, especially in the process of education and doing bussing. Information and communication technology have brought about many changes in medical education and practice, especially in the field of diagnostics. To catch up with the IT revolution, developing countries need to explore their options, to design and implement major changes in adapting to new computer technologies (1-5).

The aim of this research is to determine how medical students in Bosnia and Herzegovina subjectively assessed their skills of using computers, and have gained insight into the nature of IT education and knowledge possessed in consideration of the fact that Bosnia and Herzegovina is one of the countries in transition.

2. MATERIALS AND METHODS

During the academic year 2013/2014, Faculty of Medicine, University of Sarajevo it was conducted an observational, analytical study. The study included 154 students of the final year of study, 85 of those studying at the Bologna process, and 69 of them attending the old system of education. The survey was conducted voluntary by anonymous questionnaire consisting of 27 questions, divided into five categories, which are collecting facts about student’s: sex, age, year of entry, computer skills, possessing the same, the use of the Internet, the method of obtaining currently knowledge and recommendations of students in order to improve their IT training. Students have self-evaluated their knowledge from 1-4 grades, where 1 is the lowest and 4 the highest review. The difference between the existing knowledge about the poles, ages and system studies was examined too considering the fact that students who study at the Bologna process does not study the subject of Medical informatics.

3. RESULTS

Including in the group of the 154 students covered by this investigation 44.8% of them studied under the old system and 55.2% studied at Bologna process. A female part of the study population makes 64.9% and the male part of the population performs 35.1% of students. The average age of all tested students is 29.8, studying at Bologna process 24.18, and students under the old system it is 36.47. Apparent difference in using of computers by students of two educational systems is shown in charts 1 and 2.

Chart 1

Frequency of using computers by students of old system

Chart 2

Frequency of using computers by students of Bologna

All respondents confirmed that they own a computer and there is a possibility of using it at the college. Differences were observed for the purpose of using computers as can be seen in the chart 3.

Chart 3

The difference in the purpose of using computers by students of the Bologna Process and the old system ones

The study showed a better understanding and application of user applications and tools by students of the Bologna process which is presented in chart 4.

Chart 4

Knowledge and application of user applications and tools by both of the education system

chart 5 shows the most commonly used capabilities of the Internet and the difference between the systems of study.

Chart 5

Use of the Internet by persons questioned

Total of 13.6% of students in both systems said they had achieved knowledge through a formal education, 3.2% by attending courses, 38.9% by themselves, 2.5% that they were taught by someone else, 18,9 % a combination of regular education and independent learning, a full-time education by attending courses and 5.2% and 17.7% a combination of all the previously mentioned features.

From total of 43.5% of respondents said they had attended IT courses, 16.8% that they are useful, and 3.2% that they are expensive. 36.7% said that, in their opinion, the information technology will be based in the future on greater use of the Internet, 18.18% on use of databases, 18.18% on use of multimedia, and the rest will a combination of the previously mentioned. Table 1 shows suggestions about improving education in IT.

Table 1

Students’ opinion about improving primary health care work

The average score of students of the old system of knowledge of computer components is 2.73, 3.55 using of Word, Excel 2.3, 3.56 Power Point, Internet 3.5, knowledge of basic computer concepts 2.4, and overall knowledge 3.00. The average score of students in Bologna system of education of knowledge of computer components is 3.07, the use of Word 3.69, 2.53 Excel, Power Point, 3.68, 3.78, and Internet knowledge of basic IT concepts 2.68, and 3.24 overall knowledge. An average of acquired knowledge of all subjects was 3.12. As the students of the old system, as a part of its study tracked object Medical Informatics, found all of its classes as follows: 13% said that the teaching is "satisfactory", 59% evaluated it as " good", 22% as the "excellent" and 6% are not stated.

Questionnaire for students of biomedical faculties on use and knowledge of information technology

4. DISCUSSION

It is revealed by the result of the conductive study that all students have access to a computer and the Internet, and that they have a relatively good knowledge about it. Students of Bologna educational system spend more time by computer than students of the old system (1-4). The results of self-assessment go in favor of students who study at the Bologna process, as a possible reason for this is the average age of life. Students subjectively estimated their knowledge of using Word, Power Point and Internet as the best ones. Using of Excel is minor. The most numbers of respondents acquired their knowledge independently during the regular education, while a small number of them attended IT courses. The largest number of students considered that the improving in IT education that will later be used for a medical professional purposes, will be achieved by greater using of computers, databases and Internet (5, 6).

A similar study was conducted at the Medical University of Rijeka in Croatia in 2005. Average self-assessment carried out by the principle Lickret charts with five degrees was 3.39 for skills, 2.69 for knowledge, and IT concepts 3.76. According to these data a relative comparison of the results of these studies can be done, and noted that there was no significant difference in the level of knowledge (1).

The results of similar study in Sri Lanka in 2008 showed that only 77.3 % of respondents own a computer, by contrast to our respondents. The highest level of knowledge students have achieved by one goal formal training, mostly using a computer that represents again the difference with result gained in this. The results of self evaluation knowledge of certain computer programs are identical to the results of these studies (2).

In 2010 the Avicenna Medical College in Lahore, Pakistan also conducted studies of similar character. The study involved assistants, full time and part-time professors. 94 % of respondents possessed knowledge of basic computer concepts. 69 % of respondents said they would like to be able to use word processing programs. Only 47 % of respondents know how to use Excel, 72% of the Internet, and 59 % power point which is a significantly inferior results compared to those obtained by our study (3).

In year 2006 and 2008 professor Izet Masic made a trial at the Medical Faculty of the University of Sarajevo. The answers to the question about using of literature during medical education have indicated that the Internet is of great importance because 36 % of the students in 2006 and 52 % in 2008 had used the Internet for this purpose.

The marks for Medical Informatics obtained by examining are different from those obtained by examining the use of the last (4).

Comparing this study with the similar one implemented in Denmark in the period from 1998 to 2002 with the students in the first year of medical study it is declared that 90 % of students regularly use e-mail , 80 % use the Internet regularly , and 60 % have Internet access at home , there are large deviations considering to the time of the study (5, 6).

5. CONCLUSION

Results of the study according to the given parameters have indicated an obvious difference in the level of knowledge, use and practical application of IT knowledge among students studying at the Bologna process in relation to the students who are educated under the old system in favor of the first ones. At the same time, by comparison with the available studies, despite of the lack of complete coinciding parameter of estimation, we can see approximately the same level of knowledge of information technology and the application as those show in the results of the study at the Medical University of Rijeka in Croatia, and a significantly higher level of that kind of knowledge of students of the Medical Faculty of the University of Sarajevo in relation to the results of studies conducted in Pakistan. The level of acquired IT knowledge and application of the students from Sri Lanka is as approximate results as those of this study, despite of the fact that it is same acquired mainly through the formal education.