Applicability of DMU e-Parasitology for learning medical parasitology.

De Montfort University (DMU, Leicester, UK) is leading the development of the DMU e-Parasitology package for the teaching and learning of medical parasitology, a resource that will be freely available (http://parasitology.dmu.ac.uk/) in late 2018, and has four modules: a theoretical module; a virtual laboratory and microscope modules with a complete collection of clinical slides for the study of major parasitic diseases; and a virtual case studies module in which the user will be provided with a medical history and different clinical slides to identify the parasites and their structures. To assess the effectiveness of this novel package in facilitating the acquisition of medical parasitology knowledge, we have delivered a specific workshop session in the DMU MSc Advanced Biomedical Science 2017/18 using the first virtual case study (http://parasitology.dmu.ac.uk/learn/case_studies/cs1/story_html5.html). Briefly: an HIV positive patient was severely affected by Entamoeba histolytica and died because of granulomatous amoebic encephalitis due to Acanthamoeba spp. To complete the workshop, students needed to familiarise themselves with DMU e-Parasitology, check the relevant theoretical units and the library of virtual clinical slides. 100% (71.4% agreed, 28.57 strongly agreed) of students indicated that DMU e-Parasitology was interactive and the case-study appropriate for their studies (57.1% agreed, 42.9% strongly agreed). All students highlighted that the workshop was easy to understand (71.43% agreed, 28.57% strongly agreed); and indicated that they gained appropriate knowledge in pathology, prevention and treatment (57.1% agreed, 42.9% strongly agreed). The virtual microscope was highlighted as the most interesting tool for learning, although 14.3% neither agreed nor disagreed, possibly because this module was incomplete. Finally, some students identified the references and glossary provided in the theoretical units as items for improvement. Despite being preliminary, the DMU e-Parasitology package seemed successful in promoting active learning and increasing engagement in the study of medical parasitology.