LUMC offers free online course on transplantation
The LUMC is the first medical institution in the world to offer a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) on clinical kidney and pancreas transplantation.
English-language and international
Transplant experts at the LUMC created this free English-language course over the past year together with Leiden University. Its broad international approach means it is well suited for use in medical training. Dr Marlies Reinders is the senior lecturer supervising the project: 'Many departments at the LUMC are involved in clinical kidney and pancreas transplantation. We want to show all aspects of the procedure: those requiring attention before the transplant, the surgery itself, patients with complex clinical symptoms and early and late challenges after surgery.'
Interactive clinical cases
The course consists of a number of modules, each one ending with an interactive clinical case study where the students have to actively find solutions. There are weekly presentations with questions, assignments and visualisations, including a kidney transplant. Reinders: ‘The MOOC also has two serious games, where course members acquire knowledge in a stimulating and fun way.'
MOOC in medical curricula
The MOOC is there for everyone who wants to learn more about transplant medicine, and more specifically medical students and professionals. Dr Reinders: ‘The interactive nature of the exams and assignments and the active discussion forum means that this course coordinates well with clinical practice. Leiden University and the LUMC are going to include this MOOC in the syllabus of the Medical and Biomedical Sciences degree courses.’ She added that partners of the League of European Research Universities (LERU) will follow suit. The course is free and will start on the online Coursera online platform on 25 January.
Online Learning Lab
The MOOC has been developed with funding from Leiden University and investments by the LUMC in novel educational methods. Transplant experts at the LUMC have created the course in collaboration with the Online Learning Lab, part of Leiden University’s Centre for Innovation. The Online Learning Lab has already developed many popular online courses. Reinders: ‘The MOOC requires students to take an active role. People from all over the world will participate in the course, including medical professionals from countries with limited access to education; the course will expand their network and increase their expertise, especially in countries where medical professionals have only limited access to training.’
More Leiden MOOCs
A second LUMC MOOC, Anatomy of the abdomen and pelvis, will start on 1 February 2016.
Further Leiden MOOCS on a wide range of subjects can be found on the Coursera site.