Challenges and Opportunities in Online Learning of General Medicine: Study Among Phase 4 MBBS Students in India

Abstract

Introduction: Following the COVID-19 pandemic, India enacted complete shutdowns including medical colleges. When medical educators and students searched for new teaching and learning methods, they discovered online learning. Students were having a hard time keeping up their high standards of instruction while adjusting to the new online learning environment. The current study's objectives were to describe the opportunities and identify the difficulties that Phase 4 medical students had when learning general medicine through online platforms. Methods: A mixed type of study was done in the Perambalur medical college among Phase 4 medical students, which lasted for 4 months. Those who were willing to participate in the study were included whereas who were not responded to mail were excluded. With the intention of examining the difficulties and prospects in online education, the focus group discussion lasted 45 minutes and the whole session was recorded as a video. Then, 150 students participated in a quantitative study by direct interview using a semi-structured questionnaire. Results: About 31% of the students’ hail from rural areas. Most of the students (62%) felt they gained not much knowledge through online classes and about 61% felt they got less chance for rest between lectures. About 82% of the students felt they were comfortable with online classes rather than classroom teaching and 74% of them felt less stress in the learning process in their home. Conclusion: The main challenges felt by the students about online teaching of general medicine subjects were not gaining much knowledge and not getting enough rest between lectures. The opportunities felt by the students during online teaching were convenience, less stress, and the ability to record lectures.