The Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on the Learning Outcomes of Medical Students in Taiwan: A Two-Year Prospective Cohort Study of OSCE Performance

Background/Aims: To avoid the negative impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on clinical clerkship, supplemental teachings such as digital materials in the scenario-based distal simulations were implemented. This study utilized the OSCE (objective-structured clinical examination) to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the learning outcome of medical students from the regular group (class of 2020) and pandemic-impacted group (class of 2021). Methods: All medical students serially took, firstly, the mock-OSCE, secondly, the mock-OSCE, and the national OSCE. Then, the serial OSCE scores were compared between groups. Results: Although with similar scores in the first mock OSCE, the regular group (n = 78) had a higher average score in the national OSCE than the pandemic-impacted group (n = 80) (872.18 vs. 834.96, p = 0.003). In terms of improvement, the performances of the regular group were also better than the pandemic-impacted group between the second mock OSCE and the national OSCE (79.10 vs. 38.14, p = 0.014), and between the second mock OSCE and the national OSCE (125.11 vs. 77.52, p = 0.003). While separating distinct genres, the regular group had more of a score increment in standardized patient-based stations between the second mock OSCE and the national OSCE (regular vs. pandemic-impacted: 57.03 vs. 18.95, p = 0.003), as well as between the first mock OSCE and the national OSCE (75.97 vs. 26.36, p < 0.001), but there was no significant difference among the skill-based stations. In particular, the scores of the emergency medicine associated station in the national OSCE of the pandemic-impacted group was lower. Conclusions: Our study implies that the pandemic significantly hampered the learning outcomes of final year medical students in their clinical participation. Especially facing the COVID-19 pandemic, more supplemental teachings are needed to compensate the decreasing emergency medicine exposure.

Adaptation of Geriatric Interprofessional Education from In-Person to Virtual Simulation

We modified an in-person simulation-enhanced interprofessional education model as necessitated by COVID-19 restrictions to a fully virtual education experience. Online prework remained unchanged but adjustments were made related to previously in-person activities. Diverging from the in-person training we held live virtual poster sessions with learner-presenter interaction. In preparation for their role in the team meeting simulation, learners were moved into preassigned profession-specific breakout rooms for a live virtual huddle with facilitators. Next, learners were moved to preassigned interprofessional breakout rooms where they began the simulated team meeting. After initial discussion, a standardized patient joined the breakout room to present the patient/caregiver perspective. The event ends with a virtual reflective debrief focused on interprofessional collaborative competencies.

Geriatric Interprofessional Simulation Education Results and Rapid Cycle Quality Improvement

Following a geriatric interprofessional education event, we measured learner progression in interprofessional collaborative competencies using the Interprofessional Socialization and Valuing Scale (ISVS). We also measured student satisfaction with an investigator generated assessment tool. Through Rapid Cycle Quality Improvement (RCQI) processes, we implemented a number of variations of both the in-person and the virtual events. Variations included differences in case studies, pre work requirements, geriatric didactic topics, poster topics and presentation format, facilitator training, standardized patient or patient presence, huddle format, and demonstration of how to effectively perform teamwork. Results showed gains in interprofessional collaborative competencies between pre- and post-education using this geriatric simulation model. Learner satisfaction was high for all simulation variations. Results of education variations and comparisons of the delivery methods will be presented.