There is a growing debate in this knowledge hungry society that doctors have not updated themselves with recent trends and newer developments in medicine. There is some truth in their concern. The growing number of medical schools and the equally large number of quacks have not helped in improving the health care in our country. The goal of this article is to introduce many of the aspects of e-Learning as it pertains to medical education.
Traditionally, medical education had as its foundation a combination of didactic instruction in the classroom and integrated, hands-on "Socratic Method" learning in the clinical setting. Of late, there has been an increase in the use of problem-based learning discussions (PBLD's) in an effort to integrate basic science knowledge and clinical decision making with a goal of teaching critical decision making skills to upcoming physicians and other health care providers. Most Medical schools these days are realizing the importance of incorporating newer modalities of teaching. In countries where the patient outflow is poor for students learning simulation techniques are of increasing usage.
Medical education, especially in the advances stages of training, has many unique problems such as the temporal and geographic distribution of students, residents, and the physician instructors. Further complications result from unpredictable schedules that are present in most areas of medicine leading to poorly attended or cancelled lectures. Learning is the sharing or transfer of information between two parties. It is the phasing dispensation of knowledge from people of integrity and higher learning with zeal of transforming their realized knowledge to deserving souls who have similar intentions of propagating the sacred knowledge. Of course the definition of knowledge changes with increasing tends of materialism as seen by mushrooming of various so called temples of learning .Over the course of time, many modalities and theories about learning have been elucidated with varying degrees of effectiveness. With an increasing prevalence of computers in and out of the classroom and the development of more sophisticated web-based tools, knowledge transfer is increasing going high-tech. Similar to prior methods of teaching and learning, computer-based, e-Learning, has its own set of problems and potential. Medical education, especially in the advances stages of training, has many unique problems such as the temporal and geographic distribution of students, residents, and the physician instructors. Further complications result from unpredictable schedules that are present in most areas of medicine leading to poorly attended or cancelled lectures. E-learning adds many dimensions to the educational process and if utilized well, has the potential to enhance both the students and instructors educational experience. One of the problems with traditional didactic lectures is that they often present information that targets one of the many learning style of the students involved. In addition, the time and resources required to deliver the material is high and often does not completely meet the needs of those who are participating. One benefit of e-learning allows students to access the lectures and other material when they are most attentive. In addition, students have the ability to review the material to the degree they feel necessary. It is my hope this article touches the surface of some of the current web tools available for use in the area of education. Many of these tools are nonspecific and can be integrated well into medical education. Blogs, short for web logs, are also easy to update and maintain web pages with a layout that resembles a journal. Students and instructors can utilize these web resources to discuss topics and concepts. In addition to journaling, others can interact with the material and leave comments. For those that are interested, many sites have been set up to host these web resources and are very easy to manage, even for those who have relatively minimal computer sophistication.
Today, Continuous Medical Education (CME) becomes a crucial factor, because the life of knowledge and human skills in the field of medicine is shorter than ever. That causes the increasing pressure to remain at the forefront of medical education throughout doctors’ career. E-learning comes with solutions and methods, which can be very helpful in supporting doctors with access to the up-to-date medical knowledge and achievements. It allows creation of interactive model of learning, which stimulates knowledge acquisition. Another advantage is that e-learning provides flexibility in both time and location, while accessing medical curriculum presented online. There is a possibility of collaboration between teachers and students from different universities, which allows exchange of knowledge and experiences.
Implementation of e-learning methods in medical education is needed to provide students with new ways of gaining knowledge. However certain steps must be taken to choose the solution, which is the best for the given learning area. To keep up to date with the latest scientific breakthroughs, current medical debates and state-of-the-art medical technology you don’t need to go on expensive further training seminars far away from your workplace. The only thing you need is a computer with online access – and the right links to e-learning (electronic learning) websites. These online resources offer a vast amount of possibilities in different medical fields tailor-made for a variety of users: Students can use it as well as trained physicians, employee workers or managers. Across the world many companies, universities and institutions maintain Virtual Academies. The providers strive for certification and international acknowledgment of this type of education.
We are just beginning to harness the power of the internet for the delivery and management of medical education. Even without a clear demonstration that e-learning is superior to traditional lectures; the use of online learning provides solutions that can overcome some problems with traditional education, especially in the area of medicine. With increasing constraints being placed on medical educators, one needs to explore other avenues for effective knowledge transfer to trainees in health care. The harnessing of computer technology, more specifically web-based tools open the door for collaboration amongst both students and teachers. One platform that harnesses the ability to deliver knowledge to students as well as collect information about the helpfulness of this information is the web-based Moodle e-learning platform.

Prof G S Patnaik is a consultant orthopedic and Trauma surgeon based in Bhubaneshwar.