Our education, our concerns: The impact on medical student education of COVID‐19

Theoret, Cara; Ming, Xue

doi:10.1111/medu.14181

Cited by 220 publications

(201 citation statements)

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“…This is the first study conducted during the Covid‐19 pandemic by the University of Malta, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery in order to explore the students' perception to the change to their teaching of anatomy. Similarly to the rest of the world, the University of Malta shifted all teaching, from face‐to‐face to a virtual mode (Evans et al, 2020; Franchi, 2020; Longhurst et al, 2020; Ravi, 2020; Srinivasan, 2020; Theoret and Ming, 2020). Online medical education is not a new concept even for anatomy (Ferrer‐Torregrosa et al, 2016; Trelease, 2016), however, for Malta this was a novel experience for the majority of academics.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Spotlight on the Shift to Remote Anatomical Teaching During Covid‐19 Pandemic: Perspectives and Experiences from the University of Malta

Cuschieri

Calleja‐Agius

2020

Anatomical Sciences Ed

108

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Covid‐19 has spread globally, affecting all nations. Preventive measures were implemented by governments including the closure of universities. The aim of this study was to evaluate the student's perspectives and experiences on the shift to remote preclinical medical education while inquiring whether there has been any psychological impact on the students. A customized questionnaire utilizing Likert‐scale‐based questions and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder‐7 assessment tool was distributed online to enrolled preclinical medical students at the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery at the University of Malta. Quantitative and qualitative analyses of the data gathered was carried out. Multivariate logistic regression analyses was performed to establish independent variables associated with anxiety symptoms. A total of 172 responded out of a cohort of 299 preclinical students (58%). The majority perceived a positive learning experience following the shift to remote lectures, however, it was not the case for small group teaching including dissection sessions. Nonetheless students reported concerns about their education, examinations, progression to next academic year and wellbeing. Less than half the students exhibited symptoms of anxiety. Students exhibiting “moderate” worry (OR:7.6; CI 95%:1.98–29.31; P < 0.01) and “severe” worry (OR: 2.0; CI 95%: 5.0–80.5; P < 0.01) on their mental, emotional, and wellbeing due to Covid‐19 were associated with anxiety symptoms after adjusting for cofounders. Apart from the short‐term effects, the Covid‐19 pandemic may have a long‐term impact on both the medical education and the students' future careers. It is important that the implemented changes in medical education are recorded and studied since such data will be essential on how to proceed post‐Covid‐19 pandemic.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Furthermore, during the Covid‐19 pandemic telemedicine has gain momentum and it may be the direction of medicine for the next generation of health care. Medical education and practice may need to adopt for this type of telemedicine practice and potentially incorporate this as part of the medical training program (Theoret and Ming, 2020).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Spotlight on the Shift to Remote Anatomical Teaching During Covid‐19 Pandemic: Perspectives and Experiences from the University of Malta

Cuschieri

Calleja‐Agius

2020

Anatomical Sciences Ed

108

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“…COVID-19: coronavirus disease 2019, QC: questionnaire C. [14,15]. The current global outbreak of COVID-19, however, is even more serious, disrupting educational systems worldwide [16,17]. As the pandemic period of COVID-19 has continued, university authorities have postponed academic calendars and recommended alternative education programs.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Perception and attitudes of medical students on clinical clerkship in the era of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 pandemic

Kim

Park

Jee

et al. 2020

Medical Education Online

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Background: The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been placing severe strain on global healthcare systems and medical education programs, leading to growing demands for medical students to assume the role of preliminary healthcare providers. Objectives: To assess the perception and attitudes of medical students about clinical clerkship training during the COVID-19 pandemic. Design: A cross-sectional survey with web-based 3-fields/14-items questionnaire was conducted, from April 7 to 14, 2020, to evaluate their self-assessed perception and attitudes on clerkship training of hospital practice under the COVID-19 outbreak and spread among 161 (78 on pre-clerkship course, 83 on clinical clerkship course) medical students at Dankook University College of Medicine, Cheonan, Republic of Korea. Results: Of the 151 medical students who completed the survey, 81 students (53.7%) considered themselves familiar with COVID-19. Although the students were concerned about the spread of the virus during clinical clerkship training, 118 (78.1%) students preferred the clerkship training in a hospital practice. The students in the clinical clerkship program preferred this over those in the pre-clerkship program (85.7% vs. 70.2%, P = 0.03), primarily because a clinical clerkship could not be replaced by an online class during the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, their responses indicated, in order of significance, fear of not completing the clerkship course on time, willingness to participate as a preliminary healthcare provider in pandemic, the potential waste of tuition, and belief that a hospital is rather safe. The change in the academic calendar had not a positive impact on the lifestyles of many students. Conclusions: In circumstances such as the COVID-19 pandemic, educational strategies to clinical clerkship training for medical students should be developed to provide them with the opportunity to be actively involved in hospital practice under strict safety guidance focused on preventing virus infection and transmission.

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“…However, lack of in-person clinical exposure may pose a challenge to medical students, particularly those attempting to choose a specialty or apply to residency programs. Published commentaries by medical students have indicated a simultaneous sense of duty to do their part by staying home, as well as concern about how their education will proceed [10,11].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on medical student career perceptions: a national survey study

Byrnes

Civantos

et al. 2020

Medical Education Online

177

134

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Background & Objective: The COVID-19 pandemic and resulting cancellation of medical student clinical rotations pose unique challenges to students' educations, the impact of which has not yet been explored. Design: This cross-sectional survey study collected responses from 13 April 2020 until 30 April 2020. Students at US allopathic medical schools completed the survey online. Results: 1,668 responses were analyzed. A total of 337 (20.2%) respondents thought the pandemic would affect their choice of specialty, with differences across class years: 15.2% (53) of first-years (MS1s), 26.4% (92) of second-years (MS2s), 23.7% (162) of third-years (MS3s), and 9.7% (22) of fourth-years (MS4s) (p < 0.0001). Among all classes, the most common reason chosen was inability to explore specialties of interest (244, 72.4%), and the second was inability to bolster their residency application (162, 48.1%). Out of the MS3s who chose the latter, the majority were concerned about recommendation letters (68, 81.0%) and away rotations (62, 73.8%). As high as 17.4% (119) of MS3s said they were more likely to take an extra year during medical school as a result of the pandemic. Region of the US, number of local COVID cases, and number of local COVID deaths had no effect on whether respondents thought the pandemic would affect their specialty choice. Conclusions: Our study found that about one-fifth of surveyed medical students currently believe that the COVID-19 pandemic will affect their choice of specialty, with many of these citing concerns that they cannot explore specialties or obtain recommendation letters. With prolonged suspension of clinical rotations, targeted efforts by medical schools to address these concerns through enhanced virtual curriculum development and advising strategies will become increasingly important. Further study is needed to explore whether these crosssectional student perspectives will manifest as changes in upcoming National Residency Matching Program data.

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Our education, our concerns: The impact on medical student education of COVID‐19

Abstract: The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has concerned medical students globally. We want to be prepared to provide care, but that starts with finding the best way to educate in the current climate.

Cited by 220 publications

References 4 publications

Spotlight on the Shift to Remote Anatomical Teaching During Covid‐19 Pandemic: Perspectives and Experiences from the University of Malta

Spotlight on the Shift to Remote Anatomical Teaching During Covid‐19 Pandemic: Perspectives and Experiences from the University of Malta

Perception and attitudes of medical students on clinical clerkship in the era of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 pandemic

Effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on medical student career perceptions: a national survey study

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