The virtual pathology lab experience

Learning pathology is a challenge, students must develop the skills to identify microscopic abnormalities, explain the interaction of functional disorders, and their causes. This study assesses a novel approach to teach pathology using clinical cases through digital images, virtual online slides, and a learning management system. Satisfaction of 83 students in the Pathology class was assessed with an online survey, using a Likert scale from 1 to 5 where 1 stands for total disagreement and 5 for total agreement. Regarding the impact of virtual pathology lab experience in their academic performance, 97.6% of students believe this approach was useful to achieve learning objectives as it allows self-directed learning, easier feedback, and collaboration between peers.