Peer Review

Dermatlas

Material Detail page

Reviewed:: Mar 29, 2012 by Technical Allied Health

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Ratings

Overall Rating:

Content Quality:

Effectiveness:

Ease of Use:

Overview:: The DermAtlas is an extensive interactive online encyclopedia of various dermatological disorders and symptoms, complete with photographs and descriptions. There is a search function and a segment for contributors to add cases. There are over 12000 pictures related to dermatology from over 500 contributors. Site states it has the honor code http://www.hon.ch/HONcode/Conduct.html for medical info. Still images and limited identification data are submitted and the data is edited. Copyright permission requires consent of patient and transfer part of copyright ownership to the site.
Type of Material:: Still images database of dermatological diseases and symptoms. Some limited case data submitted with the pictures is available only after clicking on the thumbnail picture. Thumbnail pages give no indication of further information being available, only a larger picture.
Recommended Uses:: Reference for a lecture, research, or medical consult
Technical Requirements:: Current browser with high level knowledge of dermatological diseases in order to use the database. Site uses frames which do not fit so horizontal scrolling is required to use some fields and drop boxes. Accessibility for database sites does not show it has been checked/verified according to Johns Hopkins policy http://webaccessibility.jhu.edu/ Loading times even on broadband were extremely slow for the main pages and quiz.
Identify Major Learning Goals:: The learner will view photographs of the different types of dermatological disorders and symptoms. The learner has the ability to look up any dermatologic condition and see photographic examples and descriptions.
Target Student Population:: Dermatology physician, nurse, therapist, or any other health care provider who needs to know this information. This site could potentially help out an inquisitive patient or a parent with a child possessing these conditions.
Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills:: Anatomy and Physiology, with enough knowledge to identify different skin layers and tissue types, as well as the pathology to describe the conditions. This is not a database for a beginner.

Content Quality

Rating:
Strengths:: Very thorough! This module shows many photographic examples with complete descriptions! Extensive picture database of dermatological diseases with limited case description, but no ready to use content learning exercises
Concerns:: Assumption of high level of expertise with no hints of what the terminology means. Someone who was a student and had no or limited idea of what the terms in the index and search boxes mean will have to do extensive outside searches in order to determine what they are seeking. Not for the faint of heart in self learning! Professors would have to provide external glossary/terminology before using the materials to provide learning modules. The number of pictures is high, but there is no defined statement of how these pictures exemplify the characteristics of the diagnosis and how to distinguish it from others. The instructor would have to provide some sort of matrix in the content material in order to weed out answer on quizzes with up to 20 answers on them.

Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching Tool

Rating:
Strengths:: Very thorough cases presented; ability to upload cases and view others' cases is a bonus
Concerns:: Learners would need to have a "need to know" or desire to search out these conditions. Probably can't be used for mobile teaching access. Assumes high level of knowledge and extensive dermatological vocabulary and high level of technology. Pictures and pages take a long time to load and would not be great for online learning without being able to use the pictures at the users content site. No learning modules are written or available. Potential for a high level interactive teaching program IF the pictures could be used elsewhere, but they cannot. Only links to thumbnails are allowed and then the learner would have to leave the home site to follow the links and content on the Dermatlas site.

Ease of Use for Both Students and Faculty

Rating:
Strengths:: Very easy to use, point and click interface. Assume accurate picture database
Concerns:: Not a user friendly site. Need high level of expertise to even use it. Instructions buried on various pages instead of being available where they are needed. No statements of accessibility verification.

Other Issues and Comments:: This is not a predefined or easily accessible database that allows its content to be used elsewhere. Not suitable for small mobile devices or those with limited memory. High quality pictures make loads slow. No defined objectives for learning. No learning modules are available for use or evaluation. No guides for the first time user at the site of use ( buried in help). Not available for use elsewhere and linking to pictures is only specified as a thumbnail availability on the disclaimer links page. Description pages are outdated when clicking on links such as this one: http://www.ispub.com/ostia/index.php?xmlFilePath=journals/ijd/vol1n2/atlas.xml
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