Hybrid Learning in Medical Curriculum: Perception of Medical Students of a Dedicated COVID Hospital in Eastern India

Abstract

Background: In recent years, hybrid education has transformed traditional education. This study aimed toexamine students’ perceptions of the quality of teaching-learning in the hybrid and offline modes of UG medicalcurriculum and to learn how MBBS students perceived the hybrid mode of education.Methods: Using simple random sampling, an institution based descriptive cross-sectional study was carried outbetween November 2022 and January 2023 among 100 MBBS students at the Medical College, Kolkata. Afterreceiving ethical approval, an online interview was carried out utilising a predesigned, pretested, semi-structured,and validated questionnaire via Google forms. Data analysed using MS Excel and SPSS version 25.0.Results: 90% of students believe that traditional offline classes and online learning will coexist as a hybridapproach of instruction. Most students (63%) believed that hybrid programmes can make up for the shortcomingsof completely online or offline courses.Conclusion: The students felt that in the long run, the hybrid approach of teaching should be improved. Theyrecommended making the online and offline modes more integrated, doing offline sessions to clarify questionsabout topics that were taught online, making the lectures more offline format-oriented, and finally, holdingessential lessons offline.