Making the neurology clerkship more effective: can e-Textbook facilitate learning?

Objective: In 1998, the 4-week neurology elective clerkship was converted into a 2-week required neurology rotation at the University of Illinois at Chicago. We hypothesized that the interactive e-Textbook, a computer-assisted learning tool, could successfully replace a paper-based syllabus and a traditional neurology textbook during a 2-week rotation, while incorporating department teaching conferences to replace the medical student lecture series. Methods: We created an e-Textbook and made it available simultaneously in a CD-ROM format and on a password-protected website. The online quiz and course assessment were administered by the Blackboard Web Server. Results: After implementation of the e-Textbook over 6 years, the feedback shows high student satisfaction, an student evaluations of the neurology clerkship have risen. Creation of an eTextbook for the neurology clerkship made our faculty more productive while increasing student satisfaction and facilitating learning efficacy. Discussion: The results show that the e-Textbook is an appropriate alternative to facilitate learning of basic and clinical neurology during a 2-week rotation. The students demonstrated successful learning in a computerized environment.