The effects of Covid-19 on Medical Education

Abstract

SummarySince the start of January 2019, COVID-19 has caused unparalleled disruption to all aspects of life globally, including the delivery of medical education. Each university and institution have a different approach on how medicine, as a course, is taught and delivered, however, generally there is a consensus that in the earlier years, more emphasis should be given to the acquisition of theoretical and scientific knowledge, including anatomy and physiology. In the later years, medical students are then expected to apply their theoretical knowledge in a practical setting by attending various placements and interacting with patients and other healthcare professionals. The duality of this approach results in doctors who are both competent in their knowledge of the basic sciences whilst being good clinicians with sound practical and inter-personal skills. Covid-19 causes an unprecedented interruption to all students, however with courses such as Medicine, whereby a practical element is crucial, the adaptation to deliver the course effectively is more of a challenge. Clinical rotations were cancelled during the start of the pandemic due to concerns about the students and their families contracting the virus and also for the protection of the vulnerable patients in hospitals. In this manuscript we have explored the adaptations made in order to deliver medical education and evaluate the effectiveness of these methods. We will also be discussing the implications and limitations of these methods.