Understanding the consequence of COVID-19 on undergraduate medical education: Medical students’ perspective

Abstract

The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has significantly influenced the normal operations of all human affairs on a global scale. Indeed, the pandemic has had a considerable impact on the delivery of medical education in the UK for both pre-clinical and clinical year students. In response to the escalating case fatality rate due to the pandemic, there has been widespread termination of clinical placements, face-to-face teaching sessions, and examinations that require a physical presence by UK medical schools. It is hoped that the cancellation of the aforementioned activities will greatly reduce the exposure of medical students to the coronavirus however, the consequences of these actions may pose substantial issues for the learning experience and professional development of medical students. One such issue is the lack of regular communication between students and personal tutors which may give rise to burnout within students and impede academic performance. Furthermore, the suspension of clinical placements may result in a gradual reduction in students’ clinical skills competence. The practice of medicine is grounded upon the application of basic science which involves undertaking clinical procedures and as such, students may be at a disadvantage due to the missed opportunity to refine these essential skills. In this article, we provide an overview of the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic on medical education, specifically regarding curriculum delivery and assessment of students. We also adopt a holistic approach by considering the impact of the pandemic on the mental wellbeing of medical students during this unprecedented time. We offer pragmatic suggestions to uphold the quality of medical education such as the implementation of virtual interprofessional education sessions to solve clinical vignettes and virtual consultation skills with simulated patients. We conclude with suggested areas for future research to examine the effectiveness of a virtual interprofessional education model on both short and long-term learning as well as encouraging medical students and academic staff to trial innovative methods of teaching. Despite the resultant complications of the pandemic on medical education, these challenging times may present a serendipitous opportunity for medical students to cultivate the personal attributes expected of a doctor in the face of adversity. In light of the pandemic, there is scope to reconsider the effectiveness of current medical education and welcome innovative methods of delivering education whilst ensuring quality. The combination of recent telecommunication developments with current teaching methodologies may positively change the future landscape of medical education.

Pre-clinical remote undergraduate medical education during the COVID-19 pandemic: a survey study

“…Recent articles have discussed the impact of COVID-19 on medical education [ 27 , 32 – 34 ], but these have largely consisted of editorial or opinion pieces without data demonstrating students’ perspectives. Few studies have captured the experience of pre-clinical medical students [ 30 , 31 , 35 – 38 ], and several that did, have focused on a single curricular component such as anatomy, offering only a narrow glimpse into students’ experience [ 30 , 31 ].…”

“…Our study revealed that bolstering medical student participation in telehealth may be a potential solution to address this challenge. Others have proposed implementation of virtual, group-based interprofessional education (IPE) to discuss and solve clinical vignettes as a way to bridge the inevitable gap in clinical reasoning skills [ 38 ]. Prior studies have also found that interaction with telehealth during medical school contributes to improved core competencies, medical knowledge, overall learning and higher quality patient care [ 44 ].…”

Students and faculty perception of distance medical education outcomes in resource-constrained system during COVID-19 pandemic. A cross-sectional study

“…For social interaction and learning under the social constructivism theory, distance learning is not as effective as the face-to-face education. Students preferred face-to-face learning for communication opportunities where they share understanding and learning through interacting [ 13 , 20 ]. The balance among the various aspects and priorities has to be carefully considered by educators and programs to achieve the educational process's ultimate goals.…”

Letter Regarding: The Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Medical School Admissions: Challenges and Solutions

“…1 Sani and associates promote the importance of finding creative ways for students to interact with one another commenting that a paucity of regular interactions amongst students can lead to high rates of burnout-an issue already plaguing prospective medical students and current trainees. 2 It has been demonstrated that interpersonal interactions with peers deepens the strength of learning new material for students. 3 Furthermore, many students benefit from small group sessions, personal tutoring, and faculty office hours sessions for reinforcement of material and clarifying difficult topics.…”

“…Virtual classes pose a threat to the academic performance of these students if not addressed appropriately by colleges and universities. 2 The authors also address changes brought about to the MCAT, namely the format of the examination and the scheduling issues with test site closures. 1 Another essential consideration is the effect that virtual coursework and unique stressors of the COVID-19 pandemic may have on student preparedness for the MCAT exam.…”