Paradigm shift in teaching-learning from classroom to virtual mode – Challenges and opportunities

Since the unprecedented declaration of lockdown there has been a paradigm shift in medical education from chalk and board to virtual mode imposing both challenges and opportunities to faculty and students alike. As guest lecture is an innovative way of pedagogy we addressed them through an online talk to analyse the preferences towards sudden change in medical education. Students and faculty were addressed about the paradigm shift in teaching learning methods through an online guest lecture and the attendees answered a feedback questionnaire on different Teaching Learning methods. Based on responses to the questions results were plotted in Microsoft Excel and completed questionnaires were analyzed for statistics. : 90% of students and 100% of faculty found online guest lecture interesting and opined positively about having more online lectures in academic year. As far as teaching learning method is concerned both faculty and as students preferred offline/ traditional/ classroom teaching. : Online guest lecture offers more opportunities than challenges for both faculty and students. Arranging online guest lectures is economical, cost effective, has ease of attending from place of convenience provided robust internet connection is ensured, eliminates travel time as well as reduces the programme budget. Hence more number of virtual guest lectures can be arranged in an academic year for benefit of medical undergraduates. It is a novel platform for student teacher interaction and arrangement of more and more online guest lectures from eminent speakers excelling in various superspecialities should be encouraged.

A reflection on the role of anatomists in modern medical education: confronting meaning and mortality in the gross anatomy laboratory

Modes of anatomical instruction (especially the need to dissect cadavers) have been contested for generations. The present narrative provides an opportunity to re-approach this age-old debate and contemplate the state of anatomical sciences education through a narrative reflection of an encounter with a donor in the cadaveric anatomy laboratory.