[Mediation of data literacy in curricular education in otorhinolaryngology: watch and wait or anticipatory obedience?]

Abstract

A comprehensive societal change is currently taking place, which also includes the medical field. The often heard "digital transformation" is also fundamentally transforming the health care system familiar to us, including the medical schools. While the Masterplan 2020 includes changes in the medical school structure and in the curricular content, it unfortunately focuses on special competencies, e.g., communication or scientific work, but not on digitization. However, precisely these skills are becoming increasingly indispensable in daily routine work. The seminar "Digitization in otorhinolaryngology (ORL)" was incorporated as a pilot project in the students' curriculum of the Department of ORL, at the University of Freiburg/Germany: the 141 medical students completed and evaluated this seminar as part of their 2 week rotation in otorhinolaryngology during the fall semester 2017/2018. The content of the seminar mediated digital competencies on the basis of practical examples. The evaluation showed high interest of the students in the topic in general, but also in more detailed subitems of the digitization topic. The students were generally open-minded concerning digitization but also critical of the topic. The acceptance of this newly implemented seminar was clearly positive. Another positive side effect is that this teaching concept can be transferred to other disciplines. Hence, we suggest to consider the training of digital competencies when implementing the Masterplan 2020.

Keywords: Communication; Curriculum; Otolaryngology; Social change; Students, medical.