The COVID-19 pandemic has forced the transition to online teaching and learning for junior medical students at many medical schools much like my own classes at my undergraduate institution. While such measures are imperative during these times, it results in a loss of collaborative experiences. This has further emphasized the need for enhanced communication skills and teamwork among the community. Additionally, other important aspects of university life such as such as friendships, exposure to diversity and self-care skills will be drawbacks of this model. It has also resulted in a loss of career building activities’ like conference presentations and clerkships which were important for applying to residencies. Many medical students are frustrated with such decisions but the decision is a necessary evil. Cancelling clerkships serves a twofold purpose: one is to decrease the risk of exposure for medical students and the other is to ensure that there is enough PPE for the health care professionals.
Through improvements in online learning with adaptive tutorials and discussions it would lead to a more productive learning environment and will have much better remote access and reach. Not being able to receive real-time feedback is another key drawback which can be addressed by instituting small group learning sessions.
During these unprecedented times, many physicians have transitioned to tele-medicine. This model could help lower healthcare costs. The model of clinical teaching experience, face to face interaction and the need for physical examination would have to be re-invented. For all the students who are going through this, I think it will be a more interesting and challenging medical journey as they would be one of the first groups to learn and practice in this new world order.
By: Sanya Bansal