Digital Pathology – Implementation Challenges in Low-Resource Countries

BACKGROUND Medical education in pathology and histology in low-resource countries face many obstacles because of equipment cost and telecommunication deficiencies. Digital Pathology may provide solutions. We report student experience to virtual slides on a local network and a remote image server. METHODS Using an iPad tablet device, fifty 3rd and 4th year medical students viewed digital pathology slides from a Web server at the National Library of Medicine and a mirror server on the local network. RESULTS The quality of images from both servers was found to be satisfactory, but the local server was deemed faster and preferred by the participants in this study (p < 0.005). CONCLUSIONS Virtual slides on a local network server may provide solutions to equipment and technical obstacles and could enhance student learning in developing countries.