The reCAPTCHA of medical education

Med Teach. 2019 May;41(5):598-600. doi: 10.1080/0142159X.2018.1460463. Epub 2018 Apr 22.

Abstract

This article focuses on what Luis von Ahn called the "twofer," that is, a single solution that elegantly addresses two problems on a large scale. We describe two of von Ahn's creations: reCAPTCHA, which validates a human web presence while also digitizing hard-to-read words, and Duolingo, which teaches new languages while translating the web. We then consider how this approach can be applied to medical education. Embedding Wikipedia-editing into educational settings is one such solution that could both improve the quality of health information available to the public while enhancing the learning of future health professionals.

MeSH terms

  • Consumer Health Information / methods*
  • Education, Medical
  • Encyclopedias as Topic
  • Health Education / methods*
  • Humans
  • Information Dissemination / methods*
  • Internet
  • Language
  • Students, Medical*