Online teaching of forensic medicine and pathology during the COVID-19 pandemic: A course evaluation

Jones, Richard M.

doi:10.1016/j.jflm.2021.102229

Cited by 12 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 32 publications

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“…In light of these considerations, as remarked in this review, the definition of these aspects remains crucial in order to ensure a possible update of the guidelines in the handling of COVID-19 corpses. Clarifying these important aspects could be beneficial not only for professional operators but for forensic undergraduate education too [ 110 ]. Despite the fact that during the pandemic period, the use of modern technologies has been adopted with positive results, several practical activities, such as autopsy, should be considered mandatory in forensic training [ 109 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In the same way, practical laboratory activities are necessary both for dexterity and to develop critical thinking [ 109 ]. Nevertheless, in a recent report based on student feedback, alternative lessons were evaluated positively, suggesting that in the near future they could be a valid support in forensic student education [ 110 ]. It is important to note that these initiatives have been very limited worldwide, considering that the use of virtual realities in forensic science is not diffused both in high and low-income countries.…”

Section: The Scovid-19 Pandemic and Its Impact On Forensic Investigat...mentioning

confidence: 99%

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The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Practice of Forensic Medicine: An Overview

et al. 2022

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During the COVID-19 pandemic, forensic sciences, on the one hand, contributed to gaining knowledge about different aspects of the pandemic, while on the other hand, forensic professionals were called on to quickly adapt their activities to respond adequately to the changes imposed by the pandemic. This review aims to clarify the state of the art in forensic medicine at the time of COVID-19, discussing the following: the influence of external factors on forensic activities, the impact of autopsy practice on COVID-19 and vice-versa, the persistence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in post-mortem samples, forensic personnel activities during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, the global vaccination program and forensic sciences, forensic undergraduate education during and after the imposed COVID-19 lockdown, and the medico-legal implications in medical malpractice claims during the COVID-19 pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic has greatly influenced different aspects of human life, and, accordingly, the practical activities of forensic sciences that are defined as multidisciplinary, involving different expertise. Indeed, the activities are very different, including crime scene investigation (CSI), external examination, autopsy, and genetic and toxicological examinations of tissues and/or biological fluids. At the same time, forensic professionals may have direct contact with subjects in life, such as in the case of abuse victims (in some cases involving children), collecting biological samples from suspects, or visiting subjects in the case of physical examinations. In this scenario, forensic professionals are called on to implement methods to prevent the SARS-CoV-2 infection risk, wearing adequate PPE, and working in environments with a reduced risk of infection. Consequently, in the pandemic era, the costs involved for forensic sciences were substantially increased.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: The Scovid-19 Pandemic and Its Impact On Forensic Investigat...mentioning

confidence: 99%

The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Practice of Forensic Medicine: An Overview

et al. 2022

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“…In addition, in their survey which was administered pre-and post-rotation, participants claimed they were significantly more likely to choose pathology as their future medical specialty, and reported an improved understanding of what pathologists do or confidence to ask specific questions to them, when their post-rotation survey answers were compared with their pre-rotation answers [8]. Similarly, as shown in another study, students expressed an increased interest in pursuing forensic pathology as their future profession after completing a relevant elective [24]. Of interest, in a study published by Tanaka and Ramachandran [25], their virtual pathology elective received higher evaluation scores than the conventional on-campus elective (4.88 vs. 4.73/5), even from all advanced clinical clerkships (mean = 4.51; range 2.63-5.00), implying that pathology may be a discipline more suitable to virtual learning than other courses.…”

Section: Advantages Of Virtual Pathology Education: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 73%

“…(Kahoot! A.S., Oslo, Norway) in their online sessions [ 24 , 42 ]. However, the benefits of participating in traditional on-campus pathology education in this regard may be impossible to reach simply by its remote delivery while experiencing the physical university environment, in-person interactions, and hands-on activities are undoubtedly crucial for medical school education [ 43 , 44 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Virtual Pathology Education in Medical Schools Worldwide during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Advantages, Challenges Faced, and Perspectives

et al. 2022

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The COVID-19 pandemic shifted pathology education in medical schools worldwide towards online delivery. To achieve this goal, various innovative platforms were used by pathology educators and medical students, facilitating both synchronous and asynchronous learning. The aim of this study was to review the published evidence regarding remote pathology teaching at the medical school level during this period, present our own experience, and provide some perspectives regarding the best mode of pathology teaching post-pandemic. Among its advantages, virtual pathology education was considered among students and educators as convenient, flexible, and engaging, while learning outcomes were met and students’ academic performance was in general satisfactory. However, several challenges were faced. For instance, suboptimal internet connection compromised the flow of classes and was even associated with a lower academic performance. The lack of hands-on laboratory activities, such as operating the light microscope and tissue grossing, and the reduced student interactions among themselves and their instructors, were also pointed out as significant drawbacks of remote pathology education. Whereas online education has multiple advantages, experiencing the physical university environment, in-person interactions and teamwork, exposure to the “hidden curriculum”, and hands-on activities are vital for medical school education and future student development. In conclusion, the implementation of a blended approach in pathology education—where online and face-to-face sessions are jointly used to promote students’ engagement, interaction with their instructors and peers, and learning—could be the most optimal approach to pathology teaching in medical schools post-pandemic.

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“…The “pandemic edition” of a forensic medicine and pathology course 12 from the Institute of Forensic Medicine at Cardiff University School of Medicine, Wales, UK, also included both synchronous and asynchronous e-learning resources for the students. A comparative study based on three time periods (2015–2019, 2019, 2020) was conducted.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluating e-Learning in the Pathology Course During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Manou¹,

Lazari²,

Lazaris³

et al. 2022

AMEP

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Purpose Synchronous and asynchronous e-learning is a promising and effective educational method for the delivery of medical lessons. Due to the public health measures implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic, our Pathology Department faced the challenge of a total online transition of the lessons. Therefore, the aim is to evaluate the aspects of the applied e-learning method they received. Materials and Methods At the end of the semester when e-learning was applied, we designed a structured questionnaire consisting of 17 items via Google Forms, which took the students between 5 and 7 minutes to complete. Of the 257 students registered on the Pathology course in the fifth semester, 207 students (80.5%) returned completed valid questionnaires. Results Fifteen of the seventeen components of the e-learning Pathology questionnaire were evaluated highly by the vast majority of the students. The two remaining items, the HIPON platform and the Microlabs e-lessons, were evaluated highly by almost half the students. Approximately 93% of medical students answered that e-learning could be integrated with real class lessons in the medical curriculum: 62.8% (N = 130) of students answered to a great extent, and 30.4% (N = 63) answered to a small extent. Statistically significant differences were found between the demographic characteristics of the participants (gender, permanent residence, working status) and their evaluation of the e-learning items. Conclusion E-learning was successfully implemented for the delivery of the pathology lessons and was widely accepted by the students, providing evidence for its future integration into the medical curriculum. Our findings illuminate various aspects of the students’ experience with e-learning, and we strongly recommend that the students’ evaluation and perspective be taken into consideration by the faculty in the development of policies for higher-quality medical education.

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Online teaching of forensic medicine and pathology during the COVID-19 pandemic: A course evaluation

Cited by 12 publications

References 32 publications

The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Practice of Forensic Medicine: An Overview

The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Practice of Forensic Medicine: An Overview

Virtual Pathology Education in Medical Schools Worldwide during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Advantages, Challenges Faced, and Perspectives

Evaluating e-Learning in the Pathology Course During the COVID-19 Pandemic

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