Training Haitis radiologists: St.

Louis doctor
takes her teaching global
By Todd Minor / Senior Small Business Lead for Microsoft Store
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As medical technology advances, so does the need for

training. In Haiti, with the help of technology, Dr.
Jennifer Nicholas helps train future generations of
radiologists while she is thousands of miles away in St.
Louis.
From Missouri to Haiti
Radiology is often crucial in identifying and diagnosing injuries or diseases efficiently
and accurately. Medical imaging techniques, such as x-ray, ultrasound and computed
tomography (CT), have advanced alongside technology. Dr. Jennifer Nicholas has a long
history of working to improve diagnostic imaging capacity and radiology training
around the world, having traveled to Nicaragua, Kenya and Haiti to improve training for
radiology residents and, ultimately, the outcomes for patients.

In September of 2016, she joined Washington University School of Medicine as an

assistant professor and pediatric radiologist who practices at Saint Louis Childrens
Hospital. As part of Washington Universitys Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, Jennifer
is helping to develop a global outreach program, part of which involves providing
radiology training in Haiti to residents at Hpital de lUniversite dEtat dHaiti (HUEH),
the state hospital in Port-au-Prince. One of the first stops on that journey, however, was
at a mall in Missouri to explore device and technology solutions that would enable her
to deploy a tablet-based curriculum, which utilized tools like PowerPoint for
presentations and OneNote to serve as a dynamic professional toolbox.

A Particular Request
Upon meeting her in the Saint Louis Galleria, Jo Otey, business sales specialist at
Microsoft Store, showed Jennifer how Surface Pro 4 and Office 365 would provide her
with a way to seamlessly facilitate the tablet-based radiology curriculum in Haiti.

Jennifers goal was to create a flipped classroom environment in Haiti. Educators use a
flipped classroom to break free from the traditional paradigm of educational lectures in
a classroom. In this case, Jennifers flipped classroom needed to extend across
geographic, cultural, and linguistic boundaries so the residents could complete their
assigned reading, interpret cases, and create preliminary reports in advance of their
virtual conference with Jennifer where the cases were reviewed, and the lectures given.

In September, Jo traveled to Haiti with Jennifer at her request to lay the groundwork for
the flipped classroom at HUEH and help train the radiology residents on the technology.
While the idea of flipped learning is not new, Jennifers program would take the concept
to a new level. Radiology residents would be required to read course materials pre-
loaded on the Surface Pro 4, interpret cases, and create preliminary reports in advance
of a virtual conference and lecture where the case studies are reviewed.
The Flipped Classroom
Once Jennifer and Jo opened the possibilities of Business essentials to implement the
curriculum, she discovered how transitioning to Microsoft 365 Business gave her the
ability to manage devices remotely and securely and deploy new apps to the residents.
Jennifer also had the ability to restrict usage of the devices until the residents completed
the curriculum for the course. In addition to Microsoft 365 Business, Jo and Jennifer
discovered solutions major challenges such as file sharing for the curriculum, facilitation,
and communication limitations (language barriers and productivity tools). SharePoint
allows her a means of monitoring the curriculum, usage, and progress of the radiology
residents.
Since September, the residents have been preparing for the formal launch of the
curriculum and Jennifer has noticed a major shift in the computer literacy of the
radiology residents, due in part to the decision to use Surface Pro 4 with Windows and
Office. The residents have been quick to take advantage of features like Skype for
Business to interact with their colleagues within and outside of the Haiti. Microsoft
Translator has helped bridge the language gap. Program participants can translate
English coursework and reading into their native French to better understand the
information, then translate to English to communicate curriculum-based questions to
faculty. With OneNote, the residents create a virtual residency toolbox, and Jennifer will
be able to use Forms to facilitate quizzes and surveys. Jennifer can then easily deploy
apps and curriculum either in Haiti or the United States via a simple Microsoft 365
Business dashboard.

The current infrastructure of the radiology department at HUEH is traditional x-ray film
and paper printouts of relevant ultrasound images with hand-written reports, says
Jennifer. During their careers, this group of radiologists will lead the transition to digital
imaging in Haiti. In addition to the radiology content the residents are learning through
this curriculum, the computer skills they are strengthening with the use of the Surface
Pro 4 and Windows will be invaluable as they negotiate new technology in the future.

Currently, the radiology residency in Haiti includes 13 residents across the three-year
program, but the curriculum also includes eight recent graduates of the program who
are newly-minted practicing radiologists in Haiti. More than 20 Surface Pro4 were
distributed to the radiologists-in-training. The resident doctors are responding
positively to the program and are excited about the technology.

Unfortunately, the unexpected arrival of Hurricane Irma as the new devices were being
implemented forced Jennifer and team to have to evacuate two days early. Still, the
program is under way and Jennifer looks forward to the expansion of future global
health programs in other parts of the world where there are radiology residents who are
eager to learn, but their access to the latest educational resources is limited.

I look forward to evaluating the curriculum in 2018, says Jennifer. I will be tracking
how the residents are using the devices and the educational resources loaded on them. I
will also evaluate how the residents levels of confidence in interpreting radiology
studies have improved. During my last trip to Haiti, I was approached by doctors from
other specialties who have heard about the curriculum and are interested in how they
might be able to implement similar programs with their residents.

Visit your local Microsoft Store to meet with a business sales specialist, explore device
and technology solutions, and discover free resources like Office Hoursthat will help you
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