Lockdown medical education: Utilization and effectiveness of virtual modalities for pandemic-safe training

ABSTRACT

Learning Objectives: This study aimed to identify and measure effectiveness of common virtual education modalities utilized during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as which of these modalities are perceived as most effective by medical students. Background: During the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, newly-matched “pre-interns” were displaced from clinical rotations and in-person didactics, many of which are bridges to residency preparedness. During this near-total shift towards virtual medical education, several modalities became commonplace. There has been no largescale investigation of utilization or effectiveness of these virtual initiatives. Objectives: This study aimed to identify and measure effectiveness of common virtual education modalities utilized during the COVID-19 pandemic, with the hypothesis that active learning methods would be more used and effective. Methods: In spring 2020, two online surveys were distributed assessing time since last in-person clinical experience, and Likert-scale (1-5) questions regarding use and effectiveness of virtual education modalities. Results were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results: 27 EM residencies were recruited, with 311 pre-intern participants. 289 (92.9%) completed pre-surveys, and 240 (77.2%) completed post-surveys. They reported the number of weeks since performing a physical examination (median = 8, IQR 7, 12), attending an in-person didactic (median = 10, IQR 8, 15), and of rotation displacement (median = 4, IQR 2, 6). Common education tools included online modules (n=210), podcasts (n=193), and social-media based education (n=195). Effective tools included podcasts (Mean = 4.116, SD = 0.856), online question bank use (Mean = 4.052, SD = 0.872), and FOAMed resources (Mean = 3.994, SD = 0.904). Conclusions: Pre-interns are entering residency disconnected from in-person clinical education, reflecting a need for effective remote teaching. Interactive options (podcasts, question banks, and FOAMed) were cited as more effective than traditional offline options (textbook and journal article reading). Identifying popular, effective virtual modalities can guide education initiatives during the present and future pandemics.