First, Do No Harm: Lessons Learned From a Storytelling Event for Pediatric Residents During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

We adapted a previously live-only OSCE to be delivered virtually via teleconferencing software, a "teleOSCE". Tele-OSCE platforms have previously been described for use in formative assessment of students in rural locales as well as in assessment of basic telemedicine skills. 1,2 More recently, educators from Singapore executed a live OSCE while respecting social distancing rules due to coronavirus. 3 Our teleOSCE is unique in its use of an entirely virtual platform for a high-stakes summative assessment of clinical skills, while still maintaining locally established SP checklists, communication scoring tools, and faculty observation rubrics. This allowed us to preserve a core assessment that is given to all clerkship students at the completion of their pediatric rotation. Zoom software (Zoom Video Communications, Inc, San Jose, Calif) was selected due to its simplicity, audio/video quality, breakout room features, and affordability. All students, faculty, SPs, and administrators participated from the privacy of their respective locations. Following a thorough test run with nonclerkship student volunteers and to ensure feasibility, we settled on testing 7 students per half day over 3 1 / 2 days (n = 49) whereas our standard, in-person OSCE can reliably assess up to 16 students per half day session. Following a brief orientation in the "hallway" (ie, main teleconference room), students were given 3 minutes to read the "doorway folder" (ie, pre-encounter instructions on the web-based simulation learning management system CAELearningSpace [CAE, Sarasota, Fla]). Then students were moved into the "exam room" (ie, Zoom breakout room) where the SP, a faculty observer, and an administrator were prepositioned for the start of the encounter. Students had 22-minutes to complete each patient encounter, after which they left the "exam room." Back within LearningSpace, students had 13 minutes to complete a postencounter note while faculty and SPs simultaneously completed respective assessments of the student. Upon completion of the postencounter note, students were then returned to the "hallway" to read their subsequent "doorway folder" and proceed into the next "exam room," ultimately working through 4 pediatric cases.

Interns’ perspectives on impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the medical school to residency transition

“…Our study indicates that the COVID-19 pandemic had the most unfavorable impact on PGY1s’ sense of connection with their medical school community and preparation for intern year, which directly bear on relatedness and competence. It is critical that we better consider how to support connection amongst medical school and residency communities, through both in-person and virtual activities [ 22 ]. This is particularly important during this critical transition as many trainees are entering a residency community knowing very few other co-residents, at a time when in-person gatherings during intern orientation are limited.…”

Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Paediatric Trainees in Belgium

“…The deployment of such smartlearning technologies in order to limit the impact of the COVID-19 on the learning curves of trainees has already been proposed in other specialty trainings, such as urology, gastroenterology and dermatology. 7,19,20 Practical tips for supporting competency-based medical education have already been published. 21 If sufficiently offered, these new training methods and technologies may allow for fulfilment of important and individualized educational goals that may not have been met in the past.…”

“…The novel coronavirus, known as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and causing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID- 19), has spread rapidly from a local cluster of severe pneumonia cases in Wuhan (China) in December 2019 to a pandemic crisis. It has led to a massive disruption of individual and societal structures and caused important health care-associated and socioeconomic consequences in all parts of the world in a few weeks' time.…”

Novel Educational Responses to COVID-19: What is Here to Stay?

“…Babal et al described addressing wellness via a remote storytelling activity with faculty sharing vulnerable narratives with learners. 7 This work highlighted the ability to convey powerful emotions and form connections despite the virtual format, suggesting that future sessions need not occur via an in-person format.…”