UCD opens £1m CAL laboratory

A new computer-aided learning (CAL) facility, claimed to be one of the world's largest and most advanced, was opened yesterday at University College Dublin's (UCD) medical school.

The aim of the new facility is to familiarise medical students with new technology and highlight its potential as an increasingly important tool for research and diagnosis.

The Internet in particular is having a major impact on medicine and delivery of healthcare services.

The CAL installation is worth around £1 million, and consists of a two-roomed computer laboratory, housing 50 high-specification Apple computers in each room. All the computers are linked to the UCD network, and have full Internet access and multimedia capabilities. The rooms can be linked with leading edge data projection and audio systems to allow a lecturer to communicate with all students simultaneously. Apple supported the initiative by providing the hardware at cost price.

According to Dr Patrick Felle, head of the Centre for Healthcare Informatics, Apple was chosen for the project because Macs have been used in the medical school on a smaller scale for six years without ever requiring a callout. "They are extremely reliable and require very little maintenance. The Macintosh operating system is also much easier to use than Windows 95 when introducing students to computers for the first time. The Apple Mac is also ideal for downloading graphic images from the Internet," he says.

Students will initially be trained in basic computing skills and gain an introduction to the Internet. As students become more familiar with the system, self-directed learning will be facilitated by customised interactive packages complete with built-in examination systems. The Department of Pathology has already replaced almost all the microscope-based teaching with computer-based courses developed in-house.

Dr Felle envisages that all subjects will be centred around computer-based, self-directed learning within a few years.

Research results are now published much more quickly via the Internet, which leads to more efficient implementation of improved healthcare. Patient details are being recorded electronically, bypassing the accumulation of redundant and cumbersome files.

Computers and laboratory information systems have also become essential in allowing modern medical laboratories to function efficiently. Already, computerised storage of clinical data has almost completely replaced hand-written reports, and standard X-rays have been revolutionised by computer assisted imaging, including CT scans and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI).

"The CAL is a very significant development, because it will introduce Irish students to technological changes in the medical industry. Our students can now graduate with full competence in information technology, and understand its relevance to the medical profession," says Dr Felle.

Healthcare informatics is a new discipline that oversees the application of information technology in the medical industry.

The CAL facility was opened yesterday by the Minister for Education and Science, Mr Martin.