An approach to teaching psychiatry to medical students in the time of Covid-19.

A Guerandel,D Mulligan,K Malone,A Lane,J Mccarthy,N Mccarthy

doi:10.1017/ipm.2020.87

Abstract

In this time of Covid-19, life in healthcare has changed immeasurably. It has rapidly been injected with an 'all hands-on deck' approach, to facilitate the necessary adaptations required to reduce the spread of the virus and deliver frontline clinical care. Inevitably aspects of these changes have disrupted the delivery of medical education, notably clinical placements have been cancelled and social distancing guidelines prohibit face-to-face teaching. The training of future doctors is an essential part of this effort. Indeed, the emergence of a global health threat has underlined its continued importance. For medical educators and students alike, we have been presented with a challenge. Concurrently, this presents us with an impetus and opportunity for innovation. For some time now, a transformation in medical education has been called for, with an increasing recognition of the need to prepare students for the changing landscape of healthcare systems. This has included a focus on the use of technology-enhanced and self-directed learning. As a team of educators and clinicians in psychiatry, working in the School of Medicine and Medical Sciences (SMMS) in University College Dublin (UCD), we will share how we have responded. We outline the adaptations made to our 'Psychiatry' module and consider the influence this may have on its future delivery. These changes were informed by direct student input.

Highlights

On March 12th 2020, in response to the Covid-19 global pandemic, the Government of Ireland announced the closure of all higher education settings
International students were encouraged to return home. This marked the abrupt ending of all clinical placements and face-to-face teaching, and a rapid shift to online education
At this time of year, students rotate through the specialty modules of; Psychiatry, Paediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, and General Practice

Summary

Introduction

On March 12th 2020, in response to the Covid-19 global pandemic, the Government of Ireland announced the closure of all higher education settings. BS allows tracking of attendance and online activity, helping us to identify students that need assistance At this point we have run 1 week of the first iteration of this module, and there have been no difficulties with accessing the online material or any component or modality of teaching delivery. The. UCD psychiatry teaching team places high value on direct clinical exposure and have been long time advocates of judiciously using online education to compliment this. UCD psychiatry teaching team places high value on direct clinical exposure and have been long time advocates of judiciously using online education to compliment this This was the essence of the blended model in place prior to the pandemic. Not in place yet in our sites, perhaps ‘Telepsychiatry’ could offer a pathway for sharing consultations with medical students (College of Psychiatrists of Ireland, 2020)

Conclusion

Findings

Conflicts of interest