title: Online learning in a dermatology clerkship: piloting the new American Academy of Dermatology Medical Student Core Curriculum.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Multiple studies have shown that both current and future primary care providers have insufficient education and training in dermatology. To address the limitations and wide variability in medical student dermatology instruction, the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) created a standardized, online curriculum for both dermatology learners and educators.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We sought to determine the impact of the integration of the AAD online curriculum into a 2-week introductory dermatology clerkship for fourth-year medical students.
  
  
  METHODS
  In addition to their clinical duties, we assigned 18 online modules at a rate of 1 to 3 per day. We evaluated knowledge acquisition using a 50-item, multiple-choice pretest and posttest. Postmodule and end-of-course questionnaires contained both closed and open-ended items soliciting students' perceptions about usability and satisfaction.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All 51 participants significantly improved in their dermatology knowledge (P < .001). The majority of students found the modules easy to navigate (95%) and worth their time (93%). All respondents supported the continuation of the modules as part of the dermatology clerkship.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Without a control group who did not experience the online curriculum, we are unable to isolate the specific impact of the online modules on students' learning.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study demonstrates the successful integration of this educational resource into a 2-week, university-based dermatology clerkship. Students' perceptions regarding usability and satisfaction were overwhelmingly positive, suggesting that the online curriculum is highly acceptable to learners. Widespread use of this curriculum may be a significant advancement in standardized dermatology learning for medical students.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA.
authors.forename: Sarah D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Cipriano
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Dybbro
authors.forename: Christy K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Boscardin
authors.forename: Kanade
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shinkai
authors.forename: Timothy G
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: Berger
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002982:Clinical Clerkship / Q000379:methods; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003194:Computer-Assisted Instruction; D003479:Curriculum; D003880:Dermatology / Q000193:education*; D004521:Educational Measurement; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D008297:Male; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012955:Societies, Medical; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014481:United States
keywords: AAD; American Academy of Dermatology; MSCC; Medical Student Core Curriculum; UCSF; University of California, San Francisco; clerkship; clinical; dermatology; education; medical; medical students; online curriculum; teaching