DISTANCE LEARNING OF MEDICAL PHDS IN UKRAINE UNDER COVID19 AND WAR WITH RUSSIA: A NEW REALITIES

Abstract

Introduction. Distance learning during the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020-2021, and the Russian war actions whichstarted in 2022, which we refer to as "training under and after attacks," has had a significant impact on medicalundergraduate and postgraduate training in Ukraine. Despite the challenges posed by these events, the implementationof distance learning for medical PhD students proved to be beneficial for their academic performance, and regarded it asadvantageous.The aim of the research is to explore the peculiarities of distance learning for medical PhD medical students, includingits organization, main advantages, disadvantages, and challenges. The research focused on the experience of distancelearning of medical PhD students, particularly at Bogomolets National Medical University in Ukraine, and some others.Material and methods. To determine the effectiveness of distance learning for future medical PhDs, we analyzed theperformance in the course "Academic and Medical English for Medical PhD Students" of 247 medical PhD students, aged21 to 59, who were enrolled in the course at Kyiv Medical University, Bukovinian State Medical University, ZaporizhzhiaState Medical University, Kharkiv Medical Academy of Postgraduate Education, during 2021-2022, and BogomoletsNational Medical University, during 2018-2023, as well as the subjective perception of distance learning by medicalPhDs. The scope of the multi-center research was chosen to neutralize factors that may hinder objective research. Theparticipation was voluntary, upon oral consent of the respondents. The results were treated by the Statistica 19.0., and thesignificance was determined using the Wilcoxon and Student's t-tests.The study was conducted within the doctoral research framework of L. Lymar, “Developing English academic competenceof Healthcare PhD students through distance communication”, approved by the Scientific Council of Bogomolets NationalMedical University on 25.11.2021, protocol № 4.Results. The English language communicative competence characteristics of the medical PhD students were analyzed,and it was statistically determined that after distance learning, the overall level of the competence improved by 0.3-0.5points on a 5-point scale. Additionally, medical PhD students expressed positive attitude towards distance learning.The advantages of distance learning of the medical PhD students, based on a 4-year experience, include: time savingsin commuting, absence of classroom space issues, transparency in the implementation of electronic assessment, andincreased opportunities for creativity and collaboration. Under the realities of Ukraine, distance learning limited possibilityof COVID19 infection, and since 2022, mitigated military threats, with the opportunity to study in safe locations, suchas bomb shelters, in a flexible mode. Disadvantages of distance learning for Ukrainian medical PhD students includedependence on the internet connection and electricity supply, and the psychological stress factor, which is not directlyrelated to distance learning, but rather to "learning under and after fire" in Ukraine.Conclusion. Despite the stressful component of distance learning for medical PhDs, its organization using LMS andonline classes has contributed to improved performance indicators and competences, and positive attitude of PhDs todistance learning. The advantages of distance learning include time saving, the absence of classroom space issues, andbroader possibilities offered by educational systems. The disadvantages of distance learning are its dependence on internetand power supply, as well as the psychological unpreparedness of some learners and instructors for distance learning.