Medical education challenges and innovations during COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

COVID-19 pandemic has undoubtedly disrupted the well-established, traditional structure of medical education. Τhe new limitations of physical presence have accelerated the development of an online learning environment, comprising both of asynchronous and synchronous distance education, and the introduction of novel ways of student assessment. At the same time, this prolonged crisis had serious implications on the lives of medical students including their psychological well-being and the impact on their academic trajectories. The new reality has, on many occasions, triggered the ‘acting up’ of medical students as frontline healthcare staff, which has been perceived by many of them as a positive learning and contributing experience, and has led to a variety of responses from the educational institutions. All things considered, the urgency for rapid and novel adaptations to the new circumstances has functioned as a springboard for remarkable innovations in medical education,including the promotion of a more “evidence-based” approach.

Is Electronic Health Literacy Associated with Learning Outcomes among Medical Students in the First Clinical Year?: A Cross-Sectional Study

“…The E-learning or online learning platform, especially during the pandemic of COVID-19 where students cannot physically attend classes, can enhance the teaching and learning experience as it is convenient, and it allows medical students and medical instructors greater flexibility in both their location and times. Medical students can benefit from e-learning to help them adjust to a web-based medical world that is more familiar with digital health services [37]. In addition, medical educators must offer active guidance for a better approach to seek online information.…”

Educational collaboration can empower patients, support doctors in training and future‐proof medical education

“…Medical teaching has been transformed during the COVID-19 pandemic 1 for both undergraduate 2 and postgraduate education. 3 The changes have included pre-learning in flipped classrooms 4 ; social distancing-imposed limits on classroom capacity; COVID-19 exposure, testing and self-isolation for students, teachers and educational supporters including real and simulated patients; care adaptation altering educational opportunities (including default phone consultations, very limited face-to-face care, and virtual consultations: both 1:1 and in groups -using video and audio communication).…”

Medical Education and Telemedicine in the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…1 Although the medical students might not directly be involved in patient care at such an early stage, it is important to expose them to different technologies and teach them how to incorporate telemedicine in day-to-day life. 2 In various parts of the world, medical students have undertaken a variety of 'frontline' roles, according to institutional and national healthcare needs, as well as their own knowledge, experiences and preparedness, which provided them learning experience. Thus, there is much need of knowledge of telemedicine among medical students.…”

“…Thus, there is much need of knowledge of telemedicine among medical students. 2,3 The basic aim of using telemedicine in medical education could be useful in facilitating basic and clinical knowledge acquisition, decision making improvement, enhancement of variation in anatomy knowledge or 3-dimensional simulations. Besides, it could also be helpful in improving skill coordination, practicing for rare or critical events, training, and improving individual psychomotor skills.…”

“…Furthermore, it's the time to adopt the practice of telemedicine and harness its advantages in new curricula. 2,5 The universities and various bodies like Medical Education Commission, Nepal Medical Council, Nepal Medical Association, or could work together in designing and implementing a telemedicine in newer medical education curriculum. 1…”