Researchers from St George’s University Hospitals Foundation Trust and their team have carried out a randomised trial to assess the effectiveness of smartphone otoscopy in the training if undergraduate medical students. Solutions such as the Tympa system enable access to video otoscopes enhancing medical undergraduates’ recognition of common ear issues.
In the paper entitled “A randomised trial to assess the educational benefit of a smartphone otoscope in undergraduate medical training”, published in European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology the researchers show how the Tympa System enabled learners to better observe and recognise middle ear pathology.
The researchers conclude:
This study is the first one to show the benefit of a smartphone otoscope in the context of simulated pathology… The smartphone otoscope enables learners to better observe and recognise middle ear pathology. This popular learning tool has the potential to accelerate the learning curve of otoscopy and, therefore, improve the proficiency of future doctors at recognising middle ear diseases.
