Table 3 : Summary of positive and negative reactions to virtual and medical education based on themes
Themes Positive Negative Knowledge / Teaching resources
Accessibility / F lexibility
Engagement / T eamwork
Improvements in knowledge ( Geha and Dhaliwal , 2020 ) Promotion of active learning ( Dedeilia et al ., 2020 ) Improved learning due to open access resources and development of web-based resources ( Longhurst et al ., 2020 )
Improved clinical reasoning and communication skills ( Chandra et al ., 2020 )
Easy access to medical experts via social media ( Abi- Rafeh and Azzi , 2020 ; Hilburg et al ., 2020 ; Kaup et al ., 2020 ; Sleiwah et al ., 2020 )
Virtual mentoring ( Guadix et al ., 2020 ) Convenience of access to education material ( Ahmady et al ., 2020 ; Dedeilia et al ., 2020 ; Kaup et al ., 2020 ; Murdock et al ., 2020 ; Sahi et al ., 2020 ; Sleiwah et al ., 2020 )
Improved communication between instructors and students ( Geha and Dhaliwal , 2020 ; Lee et al ., 2020 ; Sleiwah et al ., 2020 )
Increased academic collaboration between institutions ( Longhurst et al ., 2020 )
Immediate feedback and support between clinician educators and medical students ( Murdock et al ., 2020 )
Improved attendance ( Marques da Silva , 2020 ; Mian and Khan , 2020 )
Improved student engagement ( Hodgson and Hagan , 2020 ; Marques da Silva , 2020 )
Improved teamwork ( Soled et al ., 2020 )
Lack of clinical experience ( Guadix et al ., 2020 ) Lack of professional identity formation due to the absence of influential clinical role models ( Sahi et al ., 2020 )
Loss of clinical opportunities : lack of bedside teaching , lack of direct patient care , halted improvement of examination skills , loss of feedback from tutors ( Dedeilia et al ., 2020 )
Difficulties understanding anatomy without dissections ( Singal et al ., 2020 )
Loss of boundaries between work and home ( Sahi et al ., 2020 )
Loss of networking opportunities ( Guadix et al ., 2020 ) Isolation and reduced interaction and discussion with peers ( Sahi et al ., 2020 )
Reduced student engagement with virtual learning ; attendance is not monitored ( Dedeilia et al ., 2020 )
Technology Promoted active learning ( Dedeilia et al ., 2020 ) Promoted engagement through Zoom as a virtual learning tool ( Hilburg et al ., 2020 ) Web-based cases and patient videos promoted student engagement ( Sam et al ., 2020 )
Web-based learning is as effective as classroom learning ( Kaur et al ., 2020 ; Roskvist et al ., 2020 )
Technical difficulties , including problems with internet access ( Marques da Silva , 2020 ; Sahi et al ., 2020 ; Sleiwah et al ., 2020 ) Dependence on technology ( Sahi et al ., 2020 )
Inequalities in terms of virtual education created by varying internet quality and speed ( Machado et al ., 2020 )
Lack of reliable internet connection ( Atreya and Acharya , 2020 ; Kaup et al ., 2020 )
Lack of knowledge on how to operate virtual platforms ( Atreya and Acharya , 2020 )
Difficult to retain focus and attention while looking at a screen for long hours ( Atreya and Acharya , 2020 )
Difficulties finding a quiet and private learning environment ( Atreya and Acharya , 2020 )
Zoom bombing ( Murdock et al ., 2020 ) Lack of access to digital technology ( Kaup et al ., 2020 ; Surkhali and Garbuja , 2020 )
Inadequate infrastructure ( Ahmady et al ., 2020 )
Mental Health
Holistic approach supported students mentally ( Lee et al ., 2020 )
Mentoring helped students to adjust to rapidly developing COVID-19 crisis ( Rastegar Kazerooni et al ., 2020 )
Difficulties maintaining focus and concentration ( Machado et al ., 2020 )
Increased risk of isolation , anxiety and boredom ( Longhurst et al ., 2020 )