Adapting to the New Normal: An Experience of a Higher Education Institution in Conducting Workshops on Professionalism & Ethics in Medical Practice

Abstract

Introduction: The erosion of many attributes of professionalism has raised concerns among medical educators which led to a mandatory module on Professionalism and Ethics being integrated into Postgraduate MD programmes in Sri Lanka. The transition of the face-to-face workshop to an online programme is one of the many ways the PGIM rose to the challenge of maintaining high-quality education while ensuring safety of trainees and faculty members during the COVID-19 pandemic. Although electronic learning is widely used, there is minimal research on its use in postgraduate medical education in developing countries such as Sri Lanka. This study aims to evaluate the response of postgraduate medical students to the transition of workshops on professionalism and ethics to an online platform. Method: A total of 148 of the 157 postgraduate students who completed the module in May 2020, participated in the study by filling the online semi-structured, self-administered questionnaire. Descriptive statistics were employed to analyze the responses to close-ended questions and the responses to open-ended questions were analyzed for recurring themes. Results: The online platform used was rated as very effective/effective by 135(91.22%) students, while 70 (47.3%) asked questions during the teaching sessions. Majority of students;141(95.27%) perceived the overall educational experience as excellent or good. Most students logged in using mobile phones, 59(39.9%) and tablet 40(27.0%), demonstrating the need to develop mobile friendly online programmes. Accessibility; a major limitation to online educational programmes in developing countries, may not be as significant as perceived to be among postgraduate medical students. Majority of students prefer a virtual mode of delivery in the future. Conclusion: The study demonstrates that students perceived the transition of the face-to-face workshop on professionalism and ethics to an online platform as a valuable educational experience. COVID-19 has adversely affected medical education all over the world. Today the classes are conducted through online platforms. Therefore, a study was conducted to evaluate the response of Sri Lankan medical postgraduate students to the transition of workshops on professionalism and ethics to an online platform.