Future Directions
Conclusion
References
of the pandemic ’ s impact . The learning and application of medicine will have a direct impact on people and their health and thus , the online shift , if less successful in training learners , would be expected to negatively impact society and trust in medical institutions .
Future Directions
Currently , there are limited data available demonstrating the impact and value of virtual medical education , particularly at the higher levels of evaluation . Furthermore , available data offers conflicting views as to whether virtual medical education facilitates the acquisition , and subsequent application of relevant knowledge , skills , and attitudes . More research is needed to measure and show the impact and value of virtual medical education , from level 1 to level 5 .
In addition to collecting data at all levels of evaluation , more research is needed to identify enablers and barriers to virtual medical education . For example , lack of access to technology and reliable internet connection are major barriers to teaching and learning in a virtual environment . Several studies published during the pandemic indicated that the lack of access to technology prevented some students from learning via virtual platforms ( Kaup et al ., 2020 ; Surkhali & Garbuja , 2020 ). Similarly , lack of reliable internet connection caused problems with video and audio playback , which also affected the learning process ( Kaup et al ., 2020 ; Sleiwah et al ., 2020 ).
Finally , more research is needed to understand the adjustments made as well as the by-products of virtual medical education that may affect learning . Isolation , anxiety , and boredom are considered by-products of virtual learning during pandemic lockdown measures ( Longhurst et al ., 2020 ). The lack of physical or mental support from peers and institutions may prevent learning ( Kaup et al ., 2020 ). The isolation faced by students may result in decreased student participation and hence possibly also academic performance ( Longhurst et al ., 2020 ; Surkhali & Garbuja , 2020 ).
Conclusion
This article describes an evidence-based evaluation framework that educators can use to measure , categorize , and show the value of their medical education programs to key stakeholders . As society returns to normal , discussions are ongoing about the best modalities to deliver medical education post-COVID-19 – face-to-face , virtual or both . To justify the adoption and expanded use of any educational method , educators need to prove its value by demonstrating both its effectiveness ( i . e ., the degree to which the educational method is successful in producing desired results ) and efficiency ( i . e ., the ability of the educational method to produce the desired results from fewer resources ). Value is relative , it means different things to different people ; thus , any method used to demonstrate the value of medical education must address the different needs and perspectives of all its stakeholders .
References
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