A Systematic Review of the Use of Google Glass in Graduate Medical Education

Graduate medical education (GME) has emphasized the assessment of trainee competencies and milestones; however, sufficient in-person assessment is often constrained. Using mobile hands-free devices, such as Google Glass (GG) for telemedicine, allows for remote supervision, education, and assessment...

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Published inJournal of graduate medical education Vol. 11; no. 6; pp. 637 - 648
Main Authors Carrera, Joseph F, Wang, Connor C, Clark, William, Southerland, Andrew M
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education 01.12.2019
Subjects
Clinical Competence
Education, Medical, Graduate - methods
Educational Technology
Humans
Internship and Residency - methods
Review
Smart Glasses
Telemedicine
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Summary:Graduate medical education (GME) has emphasized the assessment of trainee competencies and milestones; however, sufficient in-person assessment is often constrained. Using mobile hands-free devices, such as Google Glass (GG) for telemedicine, allows for remote supervision, education, and assessment of residents. We reviewed available literature on the use of GG in GME in the clinical learning environment, its use for resident supervision and education, and its clinical utility and technical limitations. We conducted a systematic review in accordance with 2009 PRISMA guidelines. Applicable studies were identified through a review of PubMed, MEDLINE, and Web of Science databases for articles published from January 2013 to August 2018. Two reviewers independently screened titles, abstracts, and full-text articles that reported using GG in GME and assessed the quality of the studies. A systematic review of these studies appraised the literature for descriptions of its utility in GME. Following our search and review process, 37 studies were included. The majority evaluated GG in surgical specialties (n = 23) for the purpose of surgical/procedural skills training or supervision. GG was predominantly used for video teleconferencing, and photo and video capture. Highlighted positive aspects of GG use included point-of-view broadcasting and capacity for 2-way communication. Most studies cited drawbacks that included suboptimal battery life and HIPAA concerns. GG shows some promise as a device capable of enhancing GME. Studies evaluating GG in GME are limited by small sample sizes and few quantitative data. Overall experience with use of GG in GME is generally positive.
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Funding: The authors report no external funding source for this study.
Conflict of interest: The authors declare they have no competing interests.
Joseph F. Carrera, MD, is Assistant Professor, Department of Neurology, University of Michigan; Connor C. Wang, BS, is Fourth-Year Medical Student, University of Virginia; William Clark, BS, is Research Assistant, Department of Neurology, University of Virginia; and Andrew M. Southerland, MD, MSc, is Associate Professor and Residency Program Director, Departments of Neurology and Public Health Sciences, University of Virginia.
ISSN:1949-8349
1949-8357
DOI:10.4300/JGME-D-19-00148.1