The development of "Nutrition in Medicine" interactive CD-ROM programs formedical nutrition education

In 1995 and in 1998 the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill receive d R25 grant support to create interactive CD-ROMs for teaching nutrition an d nutritional biochemistry to medical students, the Nutrition In Medicine ( NIM)(R) series. Seven of the proposed ten titles have been created. Three s eries (Disease, Lifecycle, and Special Topics in Nutrition) teach nutrition concepts using computer-aided instruction (CAI) with emphasis on interacti ve learning. Patient cases with television-quality interactive videos allow students to apply nutrition knowledge to clinical problems. Pop quizzes, t ext-based interactions, and multiple-choice examinations help the student s elf-evaluate progress via immediate feedback. Educators using the programs get instructional support and updates through a dedicated Web site, printed material, telephone sup, port, e-mail, and CD-ROM-based computer programs. Implementation at medical and osteopathic schools is continuously surveyed through questionnaires and follow,up telephone interviews. By 1999, 120 of 137 eligible U.S. medical schools owned copies of NIM CAI programs, of whi ch 76 indicated that they were currently implementing the programs.