Computer-Based Learning in Medical Education: A Critical View

A number of reports in the past decade have concluded that the medical education system must be reformed. These reports often call for the incorporation of new technologies into the educational process. One technology that has found its way into the medical educational environment is the personal computer. This essay critically examines the introduction of the personal computer into medical education, focusing on computer-based learning (CBL). The author concludes that evidence demonstrating the effectiveness of CBL is weak, and evidence supporting the notion that CBL enhances learning (compared with traditional methods) is weaker still. The author also argues that the decision to use CBL in the place of face-to-face traditional instruction has important negative implications for participants in medical education and may undermine the important role of patients in the education of doctors.