The goal of the Lecture Series... The lecture series is designed to introduce pathologists and pathology residents to information science and technology as it applies to pathology. Because information science is a large and growing arena, we have been selective in our topics. The lectures will not deal with specific systems (we have separate training sessions for CoPath, Sunquest, etc.), nor will they deal with research being conducted by the informatics group (Our research is discussed in seminars and conferences throughout the year. See URL: http://www.pathology.pitt.edu/lectures/mjb/index01.htm ). Instead, the lecture series will concentrate on presenting the basic principles in various areas of information technology. The goal is to give the pathologist enough knowledge to understand and participate in the information technology decisions that effect pathology practice. Introduction to Informatics This is a general introduction the the lecture series. Michael Becich, MD, PhD will describe the scope and importance of Informatics in Health Care, in general, and in Pathology, in particular. Mike will discuss the history of Medical and Pathology Informatics as well as the informatics challenges facing pathology in 1998. The Internet We will discuss the basic history and architecture of the internet: servers, routers and browsers; how to use a browser and a search engine; e-mail and file transfer protocol (FTP); security (encryption, firewalls and VPNs); Intranets and Extranets; emerging technologies; how doctors and patients use information on-line; and how access to medical information is changing medical practice. Essentials of Hardware What's inside the tan box? We will discuss processors, RAM, storage, and how these components communicate; and the digital code. We will also discuss operating systems and tear apart a personal computer. Essentials of Software We will discuss how an idea is transformed into a specification document, which is then translated into "program" that is then "compiled" into "ones and zeros". We will also discuss the basic components of a programming language and write a simple program. Essentials of Imaging We will discuss the ins and outs of cameras, video cards and displays. We will also discuss implications of resolution, color depth, image size, compression and image format. Imaging Applications We will have a discussion on imaging systems from static image capture stations to robotic microscopes. Essentials of Networks We will discuss the way data is transmitted across networks and the implication of bandwidth. We will discuss network hardware and topology, and also discuss the nature of protocols and how standard protocols working at various levels enable meaningful data transmission. Essentials of Data We will discuss simple and complex data structures; how data is stored in "records", and how "records" are manipulated in relational tables, "objects", and SGML documents. A key theme will be data encoding and the problems with "free text". We will touch on the ways "knowledge" is stored in semantic networks and expert systems. Project Management I & II We will discuss the scope and nature of informatics projects. We will also discuss issues including, scoping projects, specifying needs, scheduling, and team building on large projects; estimation of risk; and danger signs in projects. We will "autopsy" several projects. Markup Languages We will discuss HTML, XML, SGML and have a discussion of hypermedia and its impact on pathology reporting. We will also discuss the history of markup languages, their rise to prominence through the World Wide Web, and the way newer markup languages will be used to structure content in documents and integrate documents with databases. The Future of Informatics We will discuss emerging technologies and practices that will impact pathology in the next 10 years.