Adapting medical education during crisis: Student–Faculty partnerships as an enabler of success

Abstract

Restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic have required medical educators to reimagine almost every aspect of undergraduate medical training, including curriculum delivery and assessments in a short timeline. In this personal view article, executive members of the University of Toronto medical student government and Faculty leads of pre-clerkship and clerkship education highlight five practical ways in which a student–Faculty partnership enabled the rapid and smooth adaptation of curricula during the COVID-19 pandemic. These included involving students as partners in decision making to contribute learner perspectives early, agile and collaborative meeting structures, frequent and consistent communication with the student body, providing learners with Faculty perspectives from the frontlines, and striking a balance in the level of feedback collected from students. These strategies may be of utility to medical administrators, educators, and student leaders in future crises affecting medical learners.