BACKGROUND
The Nephrotic syndrome is a unique clinical entity providing interesting teaching opportunities to connect physiological and pathological aspects to clinical practice. During current COVID19 outbreak, in-person teaching in our institution was held thus creating a unique challenge for clinical skills’ teaching. A Case-Based E-Learning activity was designed to replace traditional in-person teaching of renal semiology. E-Learning activities were shown to be effective for knowledge retention and increasing novice learners’ performance. However, major knowledge gaps exist concerning the satisfaction of learners with E-Learning activities as a sole mean of teaching, specifically for undergraduate clinical skills education.
OBJECTIVE
Our study aimed to prospectively assess undergraduate medical students’ perceptions and satisfaction from an E-Learning activity teaching renal semiology.
METHODS
All second-year medical students (Novice Learners) from the medical faculty of the University undertook the E-Learning activity and were invited to participate in a non-mandatory validated web-based survey using a 1-10 Likert-Scale rating. Seventeen fourth to sixth year students (Advanced learners) were as well prospectively recruited and undertook both E-Learning activity and evaluation.
RESULTS
Eighty-eight out of 141 (63%) novice learners and all of advanced learners (100%) responded to the evaluation survey. Advanced learners reported significantly higher satisfaction (8.7 ± 1.0 Vs. 7.3 ± 1.8), p < 0.01), objectives clarity (9.6 ± 0.8 Vs. 7.7 ± 1.7, p < 0.01) and objectives attainability (9.8 ± 0.5 Vs. 7.3 ± 1.3, p < 0.01) from the e-learning activity. Both groups showed high interest in the inclusion of the activity as part of blended learning however low interest in the activity as a sole mean of teaching.
CONCLUSIONS
Case-Based E-Learning activities might be better suited for advanced learners and could increase learners’ satisfaction within blended teaching instructional design. More research concerning students’ satisfaction from E-Learning activities in the field of clinical skills education should be done. Moreover, more effort should be put in finding alternative teaching tools for clinical skills education in light of ongoing and future pandemics.
Limitations in virtual clinical skills education for medical students during COVID-19