35421 Online dermatology curriculum experiences among U.S. dermatology residents and faculty

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic created an unprecedented time in medical education. Many residency programs transitioned from in-person lectures and skills sessions to online didactics, virtual simulations, and teledermatology. Given that there are a variety of modes of online learning, understanding factors associated with adequate education and resident satisfaction is important as programs move forward. We distributed an electronic survey January-April of 2021 addressing experiences with online dermatology curriculum to the Association of Professors of Dermatology listserv and follow-up emails to 129 program coordinators for the 2020-2021 academic year. Sixty-five individuals responded, including 21 faculty members and 44 residents. Twenty-two (49%) faculty members and PGY3+ residents who had experienced curriculum prior to the pandemic reported that the virtual curriculum had similar level of effectiveness, while 16 (36%) reported it to be less effective. Open-ended responses as to why the pandemic curriculum was less effective included themes of “too many distractions,” “lack of human feature,” and “less spontaneous feedback.” Open-ended responses on advantages to the online learning included flexibility with driving to distant clinical sites and opportunities to hear from speakers outside of their local program. When asked what components of the COVID-19 curriculum changes participants would like to see moving forward, responses ranged from hopes for making virtual attendance optional, continuing all online-learning only, having a combination of virtual and in-person didactics, and increasing guest lectures.