E-learning in postgraduate urology training: a Covid-19 pandemic experience

Since the declaration of a COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020 teaching institutions started the process of adjusting to the new challenge. Medical education could not be imparted the way it used to be and some new methods had to be taken to adapt to the pandemic. At our institute, each week two lectures were recorded and later uploaded on the Youtube Channel and shared with students. This was followed by an MCQs based test using Google forms. Ten lectures were delivered in 5 weeks to 55 participants. Majority of residents agreed that this activity increased their knowledge of the subject and opted to continue it in future. With help of short online lectures (< 30 mins) and short online tests (5 MCQs), the learning experience of residents can be enhanced. In future, more online resources can be used to incorporate this method of teaching.

Otolaryngology residency program websites in a socially distanced application cycle

Objective To provide an updated evaluation of otolaryngology residency program websites during a socially distanced application cycle. Criteria were selected to evaluate for level of comprehensiveness, new content accommodating a virtual interview cycle, and stated commitment to diversity and inclusion. Study design Review of otolaryngology residency program websites. Setting Online websites between December 2020 and January 2021. Methods Otolaryngology residency program websites were evaluated for selected criteria. Programs were categorized by geographic location, size, and Doximity rankings. Differences between groups were analyzed using Student’s t-test and analysis of variance with a significance level of P < .05. Results 118 otolaryngology residency program websites contained a mean (SD) of 16.3 (4.7) of 31 criteria (52.6%). Fewer than one third included virtual/video tours of facilities or the surrounding area. Only 33% had a stated commitment to diversity and inclusion. There was no difference in number of criteria included when categorized by geographic location ( P = .22). Larger programs (17.9 vs 14.5, P < .001) and programs ranked in the top 50 by Doximity (17.7 vs 15.2, P = .003) included a significantly greater number of criteria. Conclusion While the comprehensiveness of otolaryngology residency program websites has improved, considerable room for improvement remains. Programs should strive to maintain updated websites that highlight training opportunities, program culture, and commitment to diversity and inclusion. Programs also should consider prioritizing the development of new online resources that may be especially useful to applicants during a virtual interview cycle.

Multi-Level Monitoring of Vaccination Adherence of Various Population Groups in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Problematic Issues

Relevance. Despite significant progress in the prevention of many infectious diseases, a number of organizational issues remain in the area of special attention. One of them is to ensure the timeliness and completeness of vaccination coverage in the decreed age groups, which is possible only with a high level of public commitment to vaccination. During the pandemic of the new coronavirus infection (COVID-19), achieving a high level of vaccination coverage of the National Calendar of Preventive vaccinations is of particular relevance. Aim. Using state-of-the-art online resources, assess population vaccination adherence to develop effective communication risk management technologies for immunoprophylaxis in the COVID-19 pandemic. Materials and methods. To assess the commitment of various population groups and professional contingents of a large industrial city to vaccine prevention, a survey of 965 parents was conducted at the initial stage, and subsequently a survey of 2,632 employees of medical organizations, including 1,422 people in the period before the COVID - 19 pandemic, 572 people in the «first wave» of the pandemic and 638 people in the «second wave». Instagram Facebook, Instagram, and VKontakte social networks were used to quickly obtain the necessary information (Google forms, corporate e-mails, WhatsApp, Telegram messengers, etc.). The work uses epidemiological, sociological and statistical methods of research. Results and discussion. When assessing the attitude of parents to vaccination, it was found that 78.8% of respondents were positive about vaccinations, 14.6% doubted their effectiveness and safety, and 6.6% denied their need. The main source of information that forms the attitude to vaccinations of parents was the opinion of medical professionals. In a survey of 1,422 employees, 190 people (13.3%) were identified, mainly from among the trained specialists, who themselves had a negative attitude to vaccination. When assessing the commitment of employees of medical organizations to the vaccination of a new coronavirus infection, the attitude to vaccination was ambiguous, especially in the group of secondary medical personnel and female employees of non-medical specialties, who are a potential risk group for forming a negative attitude to vaccinations and can act as «opinion leaders» on this issue for other categories of the population. Insufficient adherence to COVID-19 vaccine prevention has also been observed in other countries among various population groups, which is a serious problem on a global scale, hindering the fight against the pandemic of a new disease, which requires corrective measures. Conclusion. In this study, using modern online resources, a rapid assessment of the vaccination adherence of various population groups (parents and medical professionals) was carried out. It is shown that the use of modern technologies and software tools makes it possible to analyze a large array of data to solve problems of overcoming communication risks. The results obtained point to the need for prompt corrective measures in terms of the introduction of educational programs to increase adherence to vaccination, especially in groups at potential risk of the disease, including medical professionals, which is a priority for health care in all countries.

The Gamification of Code

Teaching an introductory web design course is already a blended environment. Students meet face-to-face, yet have access to a myriad of online resources, YouTube videos, blogs, and forums to support their learning. However, the challenges of learning to understand code can inhibit students and diminish their motivation to look for resources. The authors have attempted to address this issue by focusing on the use and design of games for learning to code, as well as providing video lecture material in combination with the traditional face-to-face learning environment. By using games and gamification in the course design, the authors have found that students are able not only to bridge their knowledge between modalities more smoothly, but that they understand that there are multiple ways to solve a problem and feel empowered to search for solutions in innovative ways.

Teaching Clinical Skills During Pandemic Times

Clinical simulation is a teaching strategy that replicates medical situations in controlled environments. The COVID-19 pandemic created disruptions for healthcare simulation centers. As a response, the Universidad Anáhuac designed online clinical simulation practices and assessments. The pre-intervention survey showed skeptical medical students (59.15%) to continue this learning format. The intervention included neurology, cardiology, and gynecology topics supported by five faculty members and staff. Instruments were examination checklists to evaluate the clinical competence based on a 100 score and the Debriefing Assessment for Simulation in Healthcare (DASH) with a 1 (extremely ineffective) to 7 (extremely effective) score. Students received individual training by Zoom, including simulation practices, debriefing, and assessment. Even though it seemed impossible to address clinical skills by distance, simulation practices continued with online resources. Collaborative participation between faculty, students, and staff facilitated learning during the COVID-19 conditions.

Cultural Tourism and the Tourist Experience in the Digital Era

This chapter aims to reveal the growing importance of cultural tourism, reflected in the cultural heritage of cities and its concrete tourist experience in a digital age society. One of the stipulated goals was to understand the existing relationship between tourist and cultural appropriation with the mediation of the digital. The chapter focuses on a city located in the central region of Portugal and followed a quantitative and qualitative analysis methodology. The digital era has been fostering a fundamental capital in the promotion of the existing resources in cities to attract visitors and to reveal the tourist experiences developed in the visited tourist destinations. The main conclusion is the interactions that take place between heritage, tourist experience and ICT implying connections that tourists spontaneously comment through online resources. When making their comments they end up demarcating their tourist experience classifying it according to their expectations in relation to the heritage resources they visit.