This article discusses the teaching of course contents in Collective Health during undergraduate medical school, based on the experience at the School of Medicine of the Federal University in Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Brazil. Virtual Tutoring (VT) is used as a complementary teaching tool, comprising a service that provides answers to students' questions through a website and an e-mail list. This article discusses the results from the evaluation of the utilization of (and receptiveness to) VT services from 2000 to 2002. The methodology consisted of an analysis of messages submitted and student evaluation of the services. During this period, VT received 153 messages containing 239 questions. More than 60% of the students had received some message in their mailboxes, and 10% had contacted the messages through other students. Fewer than 20% had sent messages to the VT. The analysis of the number of messages submitted showed a variation during the course schedule, with a peak concentration of questions close to exam time (35%). The messages contained "academic doubts" in 59% of the cases. The VT was evaluated by 86% of the students, of whom 61% were completely satisfied with the answers they had received, some 18% reported that VT had increased their frequency of Internet use, and 88% agreed with the idea of incorporating the service into other disciplines. The website was accessed by 64% of the students. The majority (65%) had made from 3 to 10 hits. The study methodology allowed for an exploratory analysis of possible factors associated with the assimilation of the proposed intervention.
Epidemiology; medical education; undergraduate studies; computer-mediated communications; Internet
