Akeso's designers recognized that, to teach residents and medical students, the tool must be engaging and easy to use. It must support independent teaching process while utilizing interactive learning techniques and providing structure and input from faculty and their peers. The case study experience must "feel real" so that they can translate their learning from the tool into a real-world hospital environment.
Each interactive case study is, in essence, a cognitive apprenticeship during which the students assimilate the checklists and decision-making skills required to reach diagnoses. With anytime, anywhere access on the web, students have plenty of opportunities to gain confidence. At the same time, online discussions of the case studies help the students learn to critically analyze their decisions and avoid the pitfall of tunnel vision.
Medical faculty represent the other half of the teaching equation. For Akeso to succeed as a software for online medical education, it must be flexible and configurable. It must meet recognized standards of medical education, and it must allow medical faculty to both assess the progress of their students and to provide feedback. This was a challenge-but a challenge that was successfully met through the rich collaboration between North Shore Hospital System physicians and AIS Solutions.