Use of e-learning tools in integrated clinical biochemistry

Objective: To evaluate usefulness of e-learning tools in teaching integrated clinical biochemistry. Methodology: The study was carried out on the 1st year medical students of Shifa College of Medicine, Shifa Tameer-e-Millat University. Students were given questionnaire to fill. Statistical procedures were performed with the SPSS software. The qualitative data is presented in the form of frequency and percentages. Results: More than half of the students were already aware of some form of e-learning tool. Most beneficial tool was YouTube followed by Dropbox, WhatsApp.  Most of the students wanted recorded video lectures, more online books and more handouts. Majority students wanted a combination of both forms of learning. Conclusion: e-learning means learning which involves technology. It aids in understanding concepts. The best form is blended learning, which is a combination of e-learning and traditional learning. Students found e-learning to be effective and economical. Students of Pakistan are using smart phones, iPads, computers, etc. Their integration will require development of computer systems and training of faculty members. Different institutes may select different modalities depending on their requirement, faculty training and financial resources.