Implementing a Requirement for Computer Ownership: One Medical School’s Experience

Abstract

The need for training physicians in the use of computers and the increased presence of computing in medical education suggest that medical schools should determine what kind of computer accessibility and support should be offered to students so that they can acquire sufficient computer skills and use computing applications in the curriculum. At the University of Kentucky College of Medicine, a requirement for ownership of computers by students was adopted in 1995. On the basis our experience, this paper discusses the assessment of institutional readiness for such a requirement, the technical and support issues related to such a requirement, the development of computer applications in the curriculum, and a framework used to evaluate the impact of such a requirement. Recommendations for other institutions interested in adopting a requirement for computer ownership by students are included.