Online Medical Teaching in China During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Tools, Modalities, and Challenges

Background: The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has tested the ability of universities to provide a high-quality, safe educational experience for students due to campuses shutting down. As a result, online learning could shift from a traditional classroom teaching mode and make education accessible to students. Previous studies have used individual online teaching cases to exploit a variety of online learning tools to ensure the continuation of medical education during this difficult time in China. However, for the first time, we have conducted a systematic review of local online teaching approaches, existing challenges, and potential solutions.Purpose: We present the issues and experience of conducting online medical teaching practices in China with the aim of communicating them to our peers in other countries or regions when examining the transition to e-learning during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.Methods: We searched the keywords below from public databases and reviewed relevant publications reporting on medical online teaching in China during the COVID-19 pandemic to analyze and summarize the online tools, modalities, and challenges.Results: We listed common online teaching tools and described a variety of online teaching modalities, as well as possible challenges. We also discussed potential solutions for those challenges, as well as the impact of the transition to online teaching on traditional education.Conclusion: By investigating local online medical teaching in China, we present useful tools and modalities that have been successfully exploited in education during the difficult time of COVID-19, although some challenges remain. The exploration of the transition to online teaching or learning will likely continue to have a profound impact on traditional classroom teaching.

A survey on Canadian pediatric hospital clinical/medical teaching unit implementation during the first and second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic

Background As the COVID-19 pandemic heightened, infection control and prevention experts recommended clinical training opportunities be modified or discontinued, substantially impacting the function of clinical or medical teaching units (CTU). A CTU is structured to involve medical learners such that they become active participants of the health care team. Since a review of the literature demonstrates a paucity of data to guide pediatric CTU implementation during pandemic phases, we developed and disseminated a survey to assess Canadian practices. Method A group of infectious disease specialists and pediatric hospitalists developed, tested, and disseminated surveys to understand CTU clinical rounding and teaching practices during the waves of the COVID-19 pandemic. Result Our surveys demonstrate the variability in adapting rounding practices during this pandemic and highlights the opportunities to share our approaches and lessons learned to optimize learner experience and patient centered care during unprecedented times in our academic hospitals. We also show the pragmatic implementation of our new pediatric hospital CTU process that was informed by our survey results. Conclusion Our study demonstrates the variability in adapting rounding practices during this pandemic and highlights the opportunities to share our approaches and lessons learned to optimize learner experience and patient centered care during unprecedented times in our academic hospitals.

Feedback of Certificate in Medical Teaching Programme at King Edward Medical University Lahore

Background: The concept of feedback is central to medical education. There is gradual shift from sandwich feedback to Pendleton feedback which is learner centred. Pragmatic worldview was proposed in this study. Certificate in Medical Teaching (CMT) programme was initiated at King Edward Medical University (KEMU) Lahore since 2019.The study objective was to improve learning outcome. Methods: Mixed Method research design was chosen, out of all mixed method procedures “Convergent parallel mixed method design” was followed collecting simultaneously quantitative and qualitative data, then results were analysed and compared separately. This study was carried out from 01-06-2020 to 31-03-2021 at King Edward Medical University Lahore. Sample size of 43 participants from CMT (Certificate in Medical Teaching) Batch 1 and 2 took part in this study. Doctors from clinical side, demonstrators and personnel of Allied health sciences attended this course. A predesigned proforma designed on google form was sent to each participant via e-mail.. Results: Quantitative data collected was interpreted as percentages and in form of tables and presented as pie charts. Qualitative data collected was analysed by segregating data into codes. Corresponding themes were made of each code and presented in tabular form. Conclusion: On the basis of feedback and mixed method approach, it can be concluded that certificate in medical teaching is a new teaching program at king Edward Medical University Lahore which can serve as basis to start master’s degree at this institution. Keywords: Feedback, medical teaching, KEMU

The Change of Medical Education Landscape in the Midst of COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 outbreak started late 2019 has systematically changed the lives of people around the globe. Medical schools have to implement changes in the teaching methodology to observe social distancing order. The pandemic perpetuates a paradigm shift in medical teaching, from face-to-face to virtual and online teaching. Virtual teaching has become the new learning norm but limited in replacing clinical teaching. It has been considered as one of the most viable options for the long-term durability and continuity of medical education. The fluidity of such educational changes, especially during the pandemic warrants preparation of the online infrastructure learning, literacy of the learners and preparation by the teachers during this period.

Eye with Ears – A Symbol-Based Aid in Medical Teaching

Visual clinical examination forms the diagnostic basis in skin-related conditions and is an essential element in medical teaching. The author describes a symbol-based aid to explain the dichotomy of factual observed findings with the information based on medical history: The Eye with Ears. It represents the two most relevant aspects in clinical examination of skin-related conditions and helps to clarify the contrast between the actual observation with information based on the context or past medical history. With the described aid, the author believes to have improved the quality of the teaching in clinical examination and that it has functioned as a practical help for medical students’ and residents’ professional development.