title: Synchronous distance anesthesia education by Internet videoconference between Uganda and the United States.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We evaluated the effectiveness of anesthesia education delivered via Internet videoconferencing between the Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, and Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital, Uganda.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a prospective educational study.
  
  
  METHODS
  The setting is the education in 2 hospitals in Uganda and the United States.
  
  
  METHODS
  The subjects are anesthesia residents.
  
  
  METHODS
  The interventions are anesthesia education lectures delivered in person and via Internet videoconferencing.
  
  
  METHODS
  The average pre-lecture and post-lecture scores of the local, remote, and combined audiences were compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Post-lecture test scores improved over pre-lecture scores: local audience, 59% ± 22% to 81% ± 16%, P = .0002, g = 1.144; remote audience, 51% ± 19% to 81% ± 8%, P < .0001, g = 2.058; and combined scores, 56% ± 14% to 82% ± 8%, P < .0001, g = 2.069).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Transfer of anesthetic knowledge occurs via small group lectures delivered both in person and remotely via synchronous Internet videoconferencing. This technique may be useful to expand educational capacity and international cooperation between academic institutions, a particular priority in the growing field of global health.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesia and Critical Care, Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Plot 8-18 Kabale Road, Mbarara, Uganda.
authors.forename: J K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Kiwanuka
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesia and Critical Care, Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Plot 8-18 Kabale Road, Mbarara, Uganda.
authors.forename: S S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Ttendo
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, 55 Fruit St, Boston, MA, 02114, USA.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Eromo
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, 55 Fruit St, Boston, MA, 02114, USA.
authors.forename: S E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Joseph
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, 55 Fruit St, Boston, MA, 02114, USA.
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Duan
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, 55 Fruit St, Boston, MA, 02114, USA.
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Haastrup
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, 55 Fruit St, Boston, MA, 02114, USA.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Baker
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, 55 Fruit St, Boston, MA, 02114, USA. Electronic address: pfirth@partners.org.
authors.forename: P G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Firth
mesh_terms: D000776:Anesthesiology / Q000193:education*; D020375:Education, Distance / Q000379:methods*; D004521:Educational Measurement; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D007396:Internship and Residency; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014454:Uganda; D014481:United States; D049269:Videoconferencing
keywords: Anesthesia; Distance education; Global health; Internet